Gaps Still Remain in Bekasi River Embankments, Flood Control Not Maximised
BEKASI, KOMPAS.com – Chairman of the Cileungsi-Cikeas River Care Community (KP2C) Puarman highlights that there are still Bekasi River embankments that have not been connected, i.e., not completed even though the normalisation project has concluded.
Puarman disclosed that the government has carried out the normalisation of the Bekasi River from the zero point at the confluence of the Cileungsi and Cikeas rivers to the Bekasi Dam, spanning 11.5 kilometres with a budget of around Rp380 billion.
However, he said there are still several embankment sections that remain unconnected, so flood control function is not maximised.
“But like a cruise ship, no matter how good it is, if there are holes in a few points it does not function properly,” Puarman said as he inspected several embankment points with Commission II of the Bekasi City DPRD and the Balai Besar Wilayah Sungai Ciliwung Cisadane (BBWS Ciliwung Cisadane), on Thursday 5 March 2026.
Puarman explained that floods in Bekasi City are caused by three main factors: river overflows, tidal flooding, and local rainfall.
“When the Bekasi River’s discharge is high, the housing along its banks is at risk of flooding. Moreover, there are several points where the embankment is not connected,” he said.
He cited several locations still with embankment gaps, such as Kemang Pratama about 200 metres long and Pondok Mitra Lestari with a gap of about 470 metres.
In addition, there are several points in Kemang IFI Graha that are not connected.
“The problem seems to stem from land readiness. This is a forward challenge for the Bekasi River,” he said.
Puarman emphasised that the Bekasi flood issue cannot be solved in a piecemeal manner because the water source originates upstream in Bogor Regency.
“Bekasi cannot stand alone. The river originates upstream in Bogor. Therefore the problem must be resolved at national level as well. Upstream solved, middle reaches solved, downstream solved,” he said.
He explained that changes in land use in the Sentul, Puncak, and Babakan Madang areas have a major impact on the increase in water discharge to the Bekasi River.
“Previously, when it rained in Sentul, 80 per cent of the water infiltrated into the ground, only 20 per cent flowed to the Bekasi River. Now the opposite: only 20 per cent infiltrates, 80 per cent runs off into the Bekasi River,” he said.
As a result, the Bekasi River’s flood discharge is said to be steadily increasing over time. In addition to normalisation and embankment construction, Puarman sees the construction of retention ponds or reservoirs at several locations as an effective step to control floods.