Despite Safe Water Supply, Sleman Declares Drought Emergency Until August 2026

The Sleman Regency administration has declared a Drought Emergency Alert Status from 1 July to 31 August 2026, even though no community has yet requested clean water distribution. The move is a preventive measure to ensure all disaster management resources are prepared for potential drought conditions.

Bambang Kuntoro, Head of the Sleman Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), stated that the alert status is effective for two months and may be extended depending on the situation. “It is valid for two months, and it can be extended later, depending on our natural conditions. The status is alert,” Bambang said on Tuesday (21/7/2026).

Bambang explained that the decision was made by considering the history of drought in Sleman, particularly during the 2023 El Niño phenomenon. At that time, 12 sub-districts in Sleman were affected by drought, with 15,457 residents or 4,101 families experiencing difficulties in accessing clean water. This data serves as a crucial reference for strengthening mitigation systems and accelerating response should similar conditions recur.

“We are looking back at the history of drought in Sleman, with the same momentum in 2023 and 2026. The anomaly of the Australian monsoon winds and El Niño is the same. The year 2023 was the same as 2006, there was an El Niño,” he said. Despite the alert status, Bambang emphasised that it does not mean the entire Sleman region is currently experiencing a clean water crisis. “As of this second, no one has reported to us requesting clean water distribution. This means that, as of today, the need for clean water is still safe. I do not know about tomorrow,” he added.