The rapid increase in population, continuous land use changes, escalating exploitation of groundwater resources for various uncontrollable needs, and the increasingly modern lifestyle of society have triggered various groundwater and environmental issues, ultimately posing threats to human survival.
Global climate change also significantly affects the alteration of groundwater balance and quality.
Professor Heru Hendrayana, from the UGM Faculty of Engineering, underscores the criticality of bolstering comprehension and knowledge regarding groundwater resources while fostering public consciousness about their protection and sustainability.
Delivering his inaugural address as a professor of hydrogeology on Tuesday (Jan. 23) at the UGM Senate Hall, he stressed the pivotal role of water resilience in achieving successful water resource management, thereby safeguarding societal well-being, health, and security.
Groundwater, as an indispensable natural asset, plays a pivotal role in sustaining life on Earth. Given its escalating significance and the adverse effects of excessive extraction, urgent measures are imperative to mitigate the negative repercussions of unbridled groundwater exploitation and climate change.
During his speech, Heru delineated the challenges and opportunities for groundwater management in Indonesia, elucidating the core principles and practices of sustainable groundwater management that merit implementation.
“To preempt the adversities arising from ongoing and impending negative impacts, efforts toward sustainable groundwater management must be earnestly, consistently, and responsibly undertaken by various stakeholders, including community members as key groundwater consumers,” he remarked.
Sustainable groundwater management, he explained, entails a holistic consideration of economic, social, and environmental facets while safeguarding groundwater availability, quality, and functionality for present and future generations.
The overarching aim is to avert or mitigate the harmful effects of unchecked groundwater exploitation, encompassing quantity depletion, quality deterioration, and ecological harm.
“The sustainable utilization of groundwater resources necessitates proactive action. Embracing novel concepts and paradigms of groundwater management with steadfast commitment and responsibility amidst the era of climate change is imperative to realize National Water Resilience,” he concluded.
Author: Gloria
Photographer: Firsto