Flooding of Residents' Homes Caused by Damming of Kali Apuran River, Explanation from West Jakarta Water Resources Sub-District Office

The West Jakarta Water Resources Sub-District Office (Kasudin SDA) has explained the construction project for a water gate that caused the Kali Apuran river in Cengkareng, West Jakarta, to overflow and flood residents’ homes.

Mustajab explained that the construction of the water gate is part of the flood control system in West Jakarta.

“It is a water gate construction project, part of the Polder Pedongkelan project, downstream of Kali Apuran, so water from the Sumur Bor Connecting Channel is channelled to Kali Mookervart. It is carried out by the Water Resources Department,” Mustajab clarified when contacted by Kompas.com via short message on Saturday.

“In terms of implementation, indeed part of the river is temporarily dammed to carry out substructure construction, while the flow from upstream is dewatered with a 1000 lps (litres per second) pump,” he said.

Nevertheless, Mustajab assured that his side is following up on the water overflow complained about by residents.

“In response to public complaints, we are currently coordinating with the Commitment Making Official (PPK),” Mustajab stated.

Previously reported, residents of RW 06 complained that their settlement was affected by flooding due to water in Kali Apuran not flowing as a result of the water gate project.

Chairman of RW 06 Cengkareng Barat, Suroto, confirmed that the flooding that pooled was not solely due to high rainfall, but a direct impact of the water gate construction project by the Water Resources Department (SDA).

“There is work here, actually it’s not a problem, but this is a construction project by PT Jaya Konstruksi from SDA. The aim is good. But because it is dammed, it stops the water flow and causes it to overflow into residents’ homes,” Suroto said when met by Kompas.com at the location on Saturday.

However, since the project dam appeared, the water has spread evenly with the roads, so even small-intensity rain immediately causes water to overflow into residents’ homes.

“The main point is that residents just ask that the water recedes, whatever method the workers use, the important thing is that the water recedes and does not pool in the residents’ area,” Suroto said.