Drought Hits 10 Villages in Purbalingga, Residents Need Clean Water Aid

Ten villages spread across six districts in Purbalingga, Central Java, are experiencing drought. Residents in these areas are now in need of clean water supplies.

Head of the Purbalingga Regency Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Revon Haprindiat, said the six affected districts are Karangreja, Karanganyar, Pengadegan, Kejobong, Kemangkon and Rembang. According to him, the number of villages affected by drought could still increase if the dry season continues.

“A number of water springs in Purbalingga have begun to see declining discharge, so clean water supplies in several areas have also decreased,” Revon said on Monday (20 July).

He explained that, beyond being triggered by the dry season, the water supply disruption has also been caused by the incomplete recovery of distribution networks damaged by flash floods and landslides that struck Purbalingga in January 2026.

This situation means BPBD is still continuously channelling clean water aid to Serang Village and Kutabawa Village. Both villages have yet to enjoy normal water services because their distribution networks have not been fully repaired.

“For Serang and Kutabawa villages, they have indeed not yet recovered, so we have been carrying out clean water drops from the start,” he said.

To meet residents’ needs, BPBD is working with the Regional Drinking Water Company (Perumdam) Tirta Perwira Purbalingga. To date, the water supply from Perumdam is considered sufficient to support the distribution of aid to affected areas.

BPBD has urged the public to use water sparingly during the dry season. Residents are asked to use water according to their needs and to protect water sources so they remain available until the rainy season arrives.

Beyond the threat of drought, BPBD has also reminded the public to heighten vigilance against the potential for forest and land fires (karhutla), which typically increase during the dry season.

Revon urged residents not to clear land by burning, not to discard cigarette ends carelessly, and to ensure fires are fully extinguished after use, particularly when carrying out activities in forest areas or hiking trails.

According to him, hiking trails are among the areas at high risk of forest fires because access to these locations is quite difficult and water sources for firefighting are very limited.

“Prevention efforts are the most effective step to minimise the risk of forest and land fires during the dry season,” Revon said.