DILI, 13 december 2021 (TATOLI) – Permaculture Timor-Leste had saved and revived more than 300 springs across the 12 municipalities, including RAEOA, said Executive Director of PERMATIL, Ego Lemos.
“Since 2008, PERMATIL had revived many springs that had been dried out for more than 20 years,” Lemos told TATOLI, in Dili, on friday.
He said apart from saving the dying springs, PERMATIL also works extensively in creating the traditional small dams to conserve water up in the hills during the rainy season: “So, we have created many new springs through this practice.”
“To save, revive or create the new springs, the first step is creating the traditional dams up in the hills to conserve the rainwater. Then, we would start planting the trees in the surrounding areas of the dams. It takes two years to revive the dying springs,” Lemos described.
Lemos said it is important for every household to install a rainwater harvesting system to save the water underground.
To solve water scarcity in the country, Timor-Leste requires a National Policy on Protection and Conservation of Water Sources, he said.
“I think it is important for the government to introduce a National Policy on Protection and Conservation of Water Sources in the country. For instance, if the government wants to build a public building, it needs to think about how to save water through that building during the rainy season,” he said.
Lemos emphasized that PERMATIL is committed to working with the government, development partners, international non-governmental organizations, community members, local leaders, the elders, and youths to continue preserving and enhancing public lakes, creating new lakes, and drainage water to prevent water from pouring into the rivers: “This will lead us to restore more water underground, prevent erosion, and restoring our ecology. Then we would have enough water for planting and growing more trees.”
He said Timor-Leste had seen an increase in soil erosion due to deforestation, infrastructure development (modern houses), and slash-and-burn agriculture.
“I call on the communities to stop cutting down the trees, stop abandoning their animals, and stop practicing slash-and-burn agriculture practices to prevent forest fire in the country,” said Lemos.
In addition, the Executive Director of the National Authority for Water and Sanitation Public Institute (ANAS, IP), Domingos Pinto also provided the same causes for the insufficient clean water during the dry season in the country: “Climate change, deforestation, population growth, urbanization, and wasteful use of water can be the main causes of insufficient water supply in capital Dili and other municipalities.”
“The population of Dili alone requires around 75.000 Cubic meters of water daily, however, the availability of water remains at 60.000 Cubic meters per day or would be decreasing in the future,” Pinto said.
He said due to insufficient water supply, therefore, water management is important for Timor-Leste to have a National Water Policy to ensure good management of water resources in the country.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
