Governor Anies Instructs His Staff to Strictly Evaluate Vertical Drainage Contractors

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has instructed all his staff and regional apparatus organizations (OPD) about to monitor contractors working on construction of vertical drainage (infiltration wells) at each point. It aims to ensure that its construction is according to standards, thus the well can function optimally and do not endanger other people, especially road users.

The point is it can function optimally in overcoming floods and does not endanger public interests such as road usersahayakan kepentingan umum seperti pengguna jalan

"Those we ordered are the Water Resources (SDA) Agency to quickly evaluate the work of contractors in developing vertical drainage. There must be transparency thus the public knows and participates in monitoring the ongoing and operational developments. The point is it can function optimally in overcoming floods and does not endanger public interests such as road users," expressed the Governor, as quoted by Jakarta PPID's press release, Sunday (12/5).

He also instructed them to identify the types of problems and take solutions to these problems, including reprimanding the contractors for resolving problems that arise in accordance with procedures, as well as the standard duration of time for solving these problems.

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"We will act decisively if there is a deviation. Do it immediately and call everyone involved in this project, including the contractor and give them a firm message thus the process is up to standard," he asserted.

Jakarta SDA Agency Head, Yusmada Faizal, revealed that his personnel would immediately carry out the instructions.

"We have evaluated wells that are under construction and are already operating to function optimally. We also keep coordinating with them (contractors)," he said.

According to him, there are 2 types of infiltration wells being built, namely shallow wells and deep wells. Shallow wells function to suppress flooding on the ground surface by draining it into wells. Then deep wells fucntion to increase groundwater reserves. Shallow wells have the potential to accommodate and absorb 11,502,420 m3 of water into the ground. Jakarta would build 1,150,242 shallow wells and 100 deep wells.

He went on to say that it was the key to anticipating flooding at flood-prone areas and also a solution to create jobs while improving the environment and water conservation towards Jakarta a Water-friendly City.

Until November 9, around 16,035 buis-concrete wells had been built with 31,498 m3 capacity. As for the capacity of the well type modular is 6,633.7 m3. The capacity of the existing wells (buis concrete+modular+optimization) is 38,453m3.

According to him, the agency had instructed contractors to tidy up the construction of wells on Jalan Lebak Bulus III thus not to damage the road and not endanger road users. Then they had to make a water hole in the location of the well which had been covered with asphalt thus it could absorb rainwater into the ground.

"We respond quickly if there are problems in the field," he asserted.

Aside that, he added, the construction sites varied, some were on sidewalks, parcels, and neighborhood roads as they could not place wells on people's private land so they had to be built on assets owned by Jakarta.

Mampang Prapatan Sub-district Vice Head, Rafli uttered, the well functions to cut the horizontal flow distance to be closer thus increasing the process of soil consolidation.

"It will have an impact on reducing flooding and it has been tested at several points. It also has many benefits, such as an effort to conserve groundwater in Jakarta and to prevent land subsidence,” he uttered.

He added, the exploitation of groundwater in the aquifer layer could result in the shrinkage of the soil layer, resulting in a subsidence of the land surface.

"There are still people's requests to make this vertical drainage. In Mampang Prapatan under phase 2, there will be an additional about 150 drainages on the side of Jalan Jenderal Gatot Subroto, parks, and schools," he closed.