Wells Dry Up in Majalengka, Threatening Clean Water Access

Residents of Pilangsari Village in Majalengka, Indonesia, are grappling with an escalating clean water crisis as the dry season takes hold, causing their personal wells to run dry. The community is now dependent on a communal water pump situated about 1.5 kilometers from their homes, forcing villagers to endure long waits to collect water for daily needs.

Villagers typically gather at the pump in the early morning and late afternoon, carrying large jerry cans to transport water for drinking, cooking, and washing. Some opt for nighttime collection to avoid the crowds. While the pump water is considered clean and potable, the inconvenience is significant.

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Almost every dry season we get water from this pump.

Although a piped water system (PDAM) has been installed in the area, not all households are connected. Furthermore, the existing connections often suffer from low water pressure, making the communal pump a more reliable, albeit arduous, alternative for many. This reliance is further cemented by a preference for well water, which locals perceive as cleaner than the raw water supplied by the PDAM, sourced from the Cimanuk River.

This situation highlights the vulnerability of communities to seasonal changes and the challenges in ensuring consistent access to clean water, even where infrastructure exists. The preference for traditional water sources, coupled with infrastructure limitations, underscores the complex factors influencing water security in the region.

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So they prefer to use well water over PDAM water.