Amid the rapid infrastructure development and multi-billion rupiah water management megaprojects in the center of Batam City, a concerning contrast in daily life is affecting the residents of Jaloh Island, Pantai Gelam Village, Bulang District. People in this buffer island (hinterland) have to struggle daily just to get a few liters of clean water for their survival.
As the dry season sets in, water sources on Jaloh Island have shrunk drastically. Residents' dug wells are drying up, forcing them to queue for hours waiting for water to seep from the bottom of the wells. Furthermore, the retention reservoir previously built by the local government is now reported to have completely dried up and can no longer supply the residents' water needs.
This concerning condition was witnessed firsthand by Icam, a visiting resident currently working on the island. He said that residents are forced to use water mixed with sand because there are no other options for bathing, washing, and toilet needs (MCK). To conserve the highly limited water supply, he and the local residents even have to limit themselves to bathing only once a day.
This crisis highlights the stark development inequality between Batam's urban areas and its coastal regions. While Batam aggressively plans modern water treatment projects such as Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO), the basic needs of residents on the outer islands are ignored. The Batam City Government and relevant parties are urged to immediately intervene and provide long-term solutions so that the community's basic right to clean water can be met.
