The city administration is about to build five pump houses in the downstream in order to anticipate flood due to tidal wave. Head of Water Resources Management for Jakarta Public Works Department, SM Robert Rajaguguk disclosed that the construction will be carried out gradually.

If the pump houses are constructed, it will reduce 24 percent flood in Jakarta

"If the pump houses are constructed, it will reduce 24 percent flood in Jakarta," said Rajaguguk, Wednesday (8/27).

Those pump houses are located in Sentiong, Haila-Marina, Karang, Angke, and Kamal Muara. As the initial stage, it will be built in Sentiong River and handled by PT Manggala Krida Yudha (MKY) which is one which will build a reclaimed island in North Jakarta. To smoothen it, Rp 1.1 billion has been allocated. 

"This is the obligation of developers. Initially we wanted to use the City Budget (APBD), but we decided to hand over the project to them," he expressed.

The pump house in Senting aims to minimize flood in the Sunter River until border of Depok. Then its catchment area's width reaches 47 kilometers.

Consultant for Public Works Department for Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Hernawan added pump house in Sentiong would have 12 pumps with a capacity of 10 per second cubic. It is predicted can be operated at the end of 2015.

"The pump was bought from Europe, Korea, and Japan. Then we will do selection," he expressed.

Such pump houses are planned to be built on the river, thus it needs land acquisition. Additionally, the upper land will be made as public area. The building has a width of 50 meters and 200 meter length. "Wed deliberately build pumps house on the river in order to avoid land acquisition," he uttered.