Central Java Provincial Government Distributes 75.4 Million Litres of Water to Combat Drought

Semarang - The Central Java Provincial Government, alongside district/city governments, corporations, the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces), the Polri (National Police), and other stakeholders, has distributed 75.4 million litres of clean water to drought-affected regions.

Central Java Governor Ahmad Luthfi stated in Semarang on Wednesday that the water supply, totalling 75,463,000 litres, was distributed across 33 drought-affected regencies and cities in Central Java. According to data from the Central Java Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the distribution took place between 5 June and 28 September 2026.

He noted that the total number of beneficiaries reached 1,557,333 households, or approximately 2,341,548 individuals, spread across 255 districts and 754 villages/sub-districts.

Of the tens of millions of litres distributed, 36,448,900 litres were sourced from the clean water availability budgets of the Central Java Provincial Government and local district/city governments. Additionally, 259,000 litres were sourced from the State Budget (APBN), while 38,755,100 litres were provided through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) from companies and non-governmental organisations.

Several regions with the highest distribution of clean water in Central Java include Klaten, Pemalang, Purbalingga, Boyolali, Grobogan, Banyumas, Sragen, Cilacap, Blora, and Banjarnegara.

“We have mapped the drought areas. All components are in motion. The BPBD is moving, the PMI (Indonesian Red Cross) is moving, the provincial and district/city governments are moving, and the TNI and Polri are moving. We are distributing clean water to the community,” he said.

He explained that managing the impacts of the drought is not only for residents in need of clean water but also concerns agricultural land to maintain the productivity of food commodities and food security.

Therefore, he also requested the Central Java Department of Agriculture and Livestock to coordinate with all regents, mayors, and the TNI to map and intervene in the water requirements for farmers.

“For paddy fields, there are two types: rain-fed fields and irrigated fields. We have coordinated this with the TNI through well-digging and piping initiatives. We hope that the production targets for rice and other food commodities will not be missed,” he said.

Previously, the Vice Governor of Central Java, Taj Yasin Maimoen, had urged and invited all elements of society to remain vigilant regarding the impacts of the current dry season drought, including reminding the public to use clean water sparingly.

The figure, affectionately known as Gus Yasin, also stated that a request for weather modification from the Central Java Provincial Government to the BNPB (National Disaster Management Agency) would be made if further intervention is required.

Another step being taken is the acceleration of the construction and reinforcement of embankments and dams to ensure they can hold more water when the rainy season arrives.

“To anticipate the impact of drought on farmers, crop failure insurance has also been prepared,” he added.