Pramono: Desalination can be implemented if 'Giant Sea Wall' is constructed

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has revealed that the Jakarta Regional Legislative Council’s (DPRD) proposal to convert seawater into fresh water through desalination as a drought anticipation measure can be implemented if the Giant Sea Wall construction project has commenced.

“To convert seawater into fresh water for use, one of the requirements is that the Giant Sea Wall must start immediately,” Pramono said when met at the Jakarta PMI Building on Thursday.

According to Pramono, once the Giant Sea Wall is underway, the supply of brackish water will be sufficient to be processed into fresh water for daily use.

“If that can be achieved, then the supply of brackish or fresh water can be processed into water that can be utilised by the community. Through PAM Jaya, the Jakarta Provincial Government is ready to undertake that task,” Pramorus stated.

Previously, the Chairman of the Jakarta DPRD, Suhud Alynudin, proposed that the Jakarta Provincial Government begin anticipating potential clean water shortages caused by drought by processing seawater into clean water using desalination technology.

“Desalination, converting seawater into clean fresh water, is already implemented in the Thousand Islands. I believe this should also be attempted to anticipate the possibility of Jakarta facing clean water shortages,” said Suhud.

Suhud assessed that the potential for drought needs to be addressed seriously, as such conditions could persist for a significant period and impact the public.

Consequently, Suhud requested that anticipatory measures be prepared by the Jakarta Provincial Government, including the utilisation of available water sources around Jakarta.

Meanwhile, the Jakarta Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) has issued an early warning for meteorological drought in several areas of Jakarta.

Based on analysis by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), parts of Jakarta fall into the “Alert” category for drought during the second ten-day period (Dasarian II) or the period of 11–20 September 2026.

The five areas under this status include West Jakarta, Central Jakarta, East Jakarta, North Jakarta, and the Thousand Islands.