Gunungkidul's Drought Budget Dwindling, BPBD Prepares Contingency Funds

The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Gunungkidul Regency is beginning to anticipate the potential depletion of its regular budget for handling drought this year. Considering that the dry season is predicted to be more severe than usual, the local government is preparing to allocate Unexpected Expenditure (BTT) funds. The Head of Gunungkidul BPBD, Purwono, revealed that the budget for clean water distribution assistance in 2026 is allocated at Rp346 million. This fund is equivalent to the procurement of approximately 800 tanks of clean water for affected communities. Although the distribution of aid is currently ongoing, Purwono estimates that the regular budget will not be sufficient until the end of the year. Based on current demand trends and weather conditions, the funds are predicted to last only until the middle of next month. ‘We estimate the budget will only last until mid-September,’ Purwono stated regarding the current status of drought management in the region. As a proactive measure, the BPBD is preparing a proposal to use the BTT budget. This step is taken to ensure that the distribution of clean water to residents is not interrupted once the regular budget is fully exhausted. To date, the BPBD has recorded that the use of the regular budget is still sufficient for short-term needs, with more than 160 tanks of clean water already distributed to various crisis points. In addition to relying on the regency’s BPBD fleet and budget, Purwono noted that most sub-districts (kapanewon) in Gunungkidul also have independent budget allocations for clean water assistance. This is expected to accelerate the response to residents’ requests. The more extreme dry season conditions this year require intensive coordination between the regency and sub-district governments to ensure that all affected areas receive adequate clean water supplies until the rainy season arrives.