Malang City Government continues to try to solve flooding and inundation that often occurs in a number of areas during heavy rains. One of them is by cooperating with academics from the Faculty of Engineering (FT) Universitas Brawijaya (UB) to prepare a drainage master plan for Malang City.
The master plan is very important as the foundation to deal with strategic issues of flooding and inundation which is expected to be integrated with regional development plans, spatial plans, and sectoral plans related to disasters, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and others.
This was revealed by the Head of the Malang City PUPRPKP Office, Ir. Diah Ayu Kusumadewi, M.T., IPU., during a dialogue with the FTUB leaders and experts in the 3rd-floor meeting room of the Dean building on Thursday, April 14, 2022.
“This drainage master plan (later) will be a true reference on how we implement it. We want to solve not per point, but the whole system,” said Diah.
The woman who has been assigned as the Head of the DPUPRPKP since July 2021, added that the population growth and activities in Malang City that did not change in size had consequences for the need for built-up space and all its impacts.
This greatly affects drainage conditions along with a number of other factors, such as inadequate dimensions of the existing canal, drainage that is not yet fully integrated into one system, the influence of climate change that triggers extreme rainfall, and public awareness in protecting the environment.
Diah who was also the Head of Dharma Wanita Persatuan FTUB Period 2014-2017 and 2017-2021, added that short-term measures will continue to be taken, such as cleaning of drains by the drainage task force at the city and sub-district level, shortcuts, bozem planning, and others. However, comprehensive steps are needed for the effectiveness of Malang City’s drainage system performance.
Therefore, she said, the drainage master plan that will be prepared is expected to be able to inventory all channels and networks, evaluate the capacity and characteristics of existing canals, map out drainage area plans (DAD), and plan drainage channel developments to a spatial map depth of 1:2,000.
In addition, it also includes the design of the operation and maintenance of each segment as well as program indications and estimated annual costs towards the target of zero inundation by 2028.
Meanwhile, the Dean of FT UB, Prof. Ir. Hadi Suyono, S.T., M.T., Ph.D., IPU., ASEAN Eng., welcomes the collaborative initiative initiated by the Malang City Government, as a form of openness to involve higher education intellectual assets in development.
“Through this collaboration, we hope to make a real contribution to solving urban problems in Malang City, especially drainage,” he explained.
The expert team that will be deployed to oversee the process of preparing the drainage master plan includes various expertise. Among them are civil experts, water resources experts, to spatial planning experts owned by FT UB.
“If there are floods, go directly to Pak Runi (Water Resources Eng.), if there are roads with potholes, to Pak Ludfi (Civil Eng./Head of the Engineering Profession Department), if there is a problem regarding the building just tell Pak Eko (Civil Eng.), and if you need experts in the residential house you can contact Pak Nyoman (PWK), and you can consult the design with Mrs. Lisa (Architecture),” concluded the Dean while introducing several experts who are also Heads of Departments in the FTUB environment.
During the discussion, there was also the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on drainage planning between Malang City Government and FTUB. The drainage master plan is targeted to be completed in eight months so that it can be immediately utilized to present a comprehensive solution that can be felt by the community.
