KDM Reveals Several West Java Regions Beginning to be Affected by Drought

BANDUNG – West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi has revealed that the dry season has begun to cause drought in a number of areas in West Java. He said one of the contributing factors making the drought more severe is that irrigation infrastructure is not functioning properly.

“Yes, drought is really a matter of irrigation infrastructure. So the budget allocation for irrigation must continue to be increased,” he said on Thursday (30/7/2026).

The governor, familiarly known as KDM, said that authority over irrigation infrastructure lies not only with the West Java provincial government but also with BBWS and Perum Jasa Tirta, and that the budget at BBWS has experienced a decline. KDM said clean water supplies have been prepared for the affected regions and are being monitored by regents and mayors. As for agriculture, if irrigation runs into problems, pump machines will be used.

“From the agricultural side, this is indeed the final harvest. So in August — I’m a farmer myself, I’m harvesting. The harvest is starting now, and it will continue in August, but in September and October it’s usually fallow. We plant again in October, November and December,” said the former regent of Purwakarta.

He said a number of affected areas have begun to experience drought, including Indramayu, parts of Subang and Karawang. He suspected the problem stems from irrigation systems that are not functioning or not properly maintained.