Jakarta Builds River Overflow Room in Brigif Reservoir to Control Floods

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan inaugurated the River overflow room  (Ruang Limpah Sungai (RLS)) in Brigif reservoir, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta  on Thursday (photo: PPID)

Jakarta, MINA – Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan inaugurated the River overflow room  (Ruang Limpah Sungai (RLS)) in Brigif reservoir, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta  on Thursday. It is expected to be able to control flooding in several areas in Jakarta because it can accommodate water temporarily during extreme rains.

The inauguration was also attended by the Singaporean Ambassador to Indonesia Kwok Fong Seng and South Jakarta Mayor Munjirin.

Anies said the construction of the RLS imitates the concept of naturalization of the Kallang River in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, Singapore.

He also explained the importance of building something using environmentally friendly methods. Therefore, Anies uses a nature base solution in controlling floods.

“We are grateful and proud, Alhamdulillah, hard work has paid off. The RLS is a Nature base solution. This RLS has a positive deep meaning, and Alhamdulillah the abundant water will be accommodated by RLS. So, we have a new method, where we prepare a container to temporarily hold water when river water is abundant, to reduce the volume of water in the downstream area of ​​the river,” he explained.

Furthermore, Anies said that the RLS also functions as a Blue Open Space (RTB) to restore the river border ecosystem as usual and become a place for interaction and activities between residents.

Meanwhile, the Head of the DKI Jakarta Water Resources Service, Yusmada Faizal, explained that the presence of the RLS is also a form of river naturalization and is part of 942 projects (9 polders, 4 water retention, and 2 river capacity building).

Besides the RLS in Brigif, the Jakarta Government has also built it in  Lebak Bulus and Pondok Ranggon. The RLS construction duration is 15 months.

“The RLS  construction is still going according to plan. In order to achieve the target, the priority work is digging the soil to form the RLS area. Until now, the construction has reached 95 percent,” he explained. (T/ri/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)