Public Works Ministry Normalises Tambun Secondary Canal in Karawang
The Ministry of Public Works (PU), through the Citarum River Basin Organisation (BBWS Citarum), is carrying out normalisation activities on the Tambun Secondary Canal in Karyamakmur Village, Batujaya District, Karawang Regency, West Java.
Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo stated that the Ministry is continuously strengthening preparedness and response to the impacts of drought, including through the optimisation of available water resources to maintain the sustainability of irrigation services for the community.
“Water is an essential foundation for sustainable development. Therefore, drought management must be carried out quickly, measurably, and in an integrated manner, including by optimising water resource infrastructure so that available water can be utilised maximally to meet community needs,” Dody said in a statement in Jakarta on Tuesday.
This activity is being undertaken as an effort to address drought in paddy fields while supporting the smooth distribution of irrigation water for community agricultural land.
The normalisation of the Tambun Secondary Canal commenced on 28 August 2026 and is scheduled for completion by 15 October 2026. The project is targeted to last 49 days and is currently ongoing in the field.
In its implementation, BBWS Citarum has deployed one long-arm excavator unit to perform dredging and canal normalisation along a length of approximately 3,500 metres. This intervention is expected to optimise irrigation water flow to support agricultural needs covering 875.68 hectares.
Acting Head of BBWS Citarum, Abdul Ghoni Majdi, explained that canal normalisation is part of the Ministry of Public Works’ efforts to maintain the reliability of the irrigation system, particularly in areas experiencing flow obstructions due to sedimentation or aquatic vegetation growth.
“Normalisation is being carried out to restore the capacity and function of the canal so that irrigation water flow can be more optimal towards paddy field areas. This step is part of our efforts to support food security while addressing the impacts of drought on agricultural land,” he said.
The Tambun Secondary Canal receives its water supply from the North West Tarum Main Canal through the North West Tarum 20 Structure (B.TUB 20). Based on field conditions, the obstruction of flow in the Tambun Secondary Canal is caused by sedimentation and algae growth within the canal body.
To ensure the activity meets its targets, BBWS Citarum has assigned three personnel to execute and monitor the normalisation work on the ground. Weather conditions during the implementation have been observed to be hot.
The Ministry of Public Works, through BBWS Citarum, continues to monitor the normalisation process until the work is completed. This intervention is expected to improve the smoothness of irrigation water supply to paddy fields and help maintain agricultural productivity in Karawang Regency.
The Tambun Secondary Canal normalisation project is part of the Ministry of Public Works’ commitment to maintaining water resource infrastructure to ensure optimal functionality, while simultaneously providing support for the sustainability of irrigation services and national food security.