Flooding Hits Padang, Restoring Drinking Water Services Becomes Priority
The Ministry of Public Works, through the West Sumatra Building, Infrastructure and Area Planning Centre (BPBPK), is taking steps to address damage to several drinking water supply systems (SPAM) affected by flooding in Padang on Friday (9 October) and Saturday (10 October). The efforts are intended to speed up the restoration of infrastructure and ensure the continuity of drinking water services for residents.
The flooding damaged several SPAM facilities, including Guo Kuranji, Palukahan and Gunung Pangilun. At Guo Kuranji, the intake structure was damaged and breached, while several transmission pipelines were severed.
Meanwhile, flood debris covered the Palukahan SPAM intake structure. At Gunung Pangilun, construction of a presedimentation facility was hampered because the worksite was inundated.
Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo said post-disaster efforts were focused not only on repairing damaged infrastructure but also on ensuring that people regained access to basic services.
“Post-disaster recovery is not only about repairing damaged infrastructure, but also about ensuring that people regain access to their basic needs,” Dody said in a written statement on Wednesday (14 October 2026).
Of the affected facilities, Guo Kuranji SPAM is a priority because of its role in meeting residents’ drinking water needs. It has a production capacity of 80 litres per second and serves around 10,000 household connections. The damage could disrupt the continuity of water services for people who depend on the system.
Work at Guo Kuranji presents a particular challenge because the infrastructure was also affected by a disaster in November 2025 and was still undergoing repairs. The flooding on 9 October 2026 caused further damage, requiring additional work to restore its function.
“In response, the West Sumatra BPBPK is prioritising temporary measures to speed up the restoration of drinking water services before permanent construction work resumes, in line with conditions on the ground. These steps are expected to minimise disruption to services while supporting the rapid recovery of disaster-affected infrastructure,” he said.
He said repairs to the Guo Kuranji SPAM intake are being carried out by PT Hutama Karya. The work includes repairs to the intake structure, the weir crest, and the intake and crest wings. The work is being undertaken with regard to the extent of the damage, site conditions and the need to restore the infrastructure’s function so that the system can resume operating and provide drinking water services effectively.
“The West Sumatra BPBPK continues to address damage to affected SPAM infrastructure, prioritising restoration of service functions and continuity of services for the public. These response and repair measures are expected to restore drinking water services in flood-affected areas promptly and meet residents’ needs once again,” he concluded.