Biology
Reservoirs play a strategic role in the context of sustainable energy supply. Unfortunately, the
majority of the reservoirs are facing water-quality degradation due to complex pollutants originating
from activities both in the catchment and inside the reservoir. This research was aimed at assessing
the extent of the water degradation, in terms of corrosivity level, and at examining its impacts
on hydropower capacity and operation. Water quality data (total dissolved solids, pH, calcium,
bicarbonate, and temperature) were obtained from 20 sampling stations in the Cirata Reservoir
from 2007 to 2016. The results show that the river water is already corrosive (Langelier Saturation
Index, LSI = − 0.21 to − 1.08), and, the corrosiveness becoming greater when entering the reservoir
(LSI = − 0.52 to − 1.49). The water corrosivity has caused damage to the hydro-mechanical equipment
and lowering production capacity. The external environment of the catchment hosts complex human
activities, such as agriculture, land conversion, urban and industrial discharge, which have all played a
major role in the water corrosiveness. Meanwhile, the internal environment, such as floating net cage
aquaculture, has intensified the problem. As the water corrosiveness has increased, the maintenance
of the hydro-mechanical facilities has also increased. Strategies must be applied as current conditions
are certainly a threat to the sustainability of the hydropower operation and, hence, the energy supply.Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jl. Raya Bandung-Sumedang Km. 21 Jatinangor, Sumedang, West Java Province, 45363, Indonesia
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-68026-x
Courtesy: https://www.nature.com
Copyright: doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68026-x © The Author(s) 2020
