GROUNDWATER PROTECTION*)

An effort to maintain sustainable development and environmentally sound management of groundwater resources in Indonesia

by : Soetrisno S.

3. The Constraints

The implementation of groundwater protection measures, however, face several constraints, apart from dense population and competitive land use as already described before.

There are four constraints such as :

1. Administrative : in several cases the coordination among sectors related to groundwater has to be enhanced. There is no regulation which particularly sets up the requirement of groundwater protection areas.

2. Technical : not enough detailed hydrogeological information, which will lead to determine groundwater protection areas.

3. Economical : high cost economy required to serve population other than groundwater resources.

4. Social : unawareness of various groundwater users of the neccesity to conserve groundwater resources.

As groundwater resources are only one part of the components of the hydrologic cycle, as mentioned above, to overcome the above constraints, therefore, all efforts concerning groundwater protection have to be taken integrally. The other important thing is that government policy has to set-up highest priority for new industries which consume low ammounts of water and clean industry.