Residents of North Sumatra Demand Compensation Amidst Power and Water Outages
Rolling blackouts occurring in North Sumatra Province since last week have been followed by water outages from the Regional Drinking Water Company (PDAM). The PDAM stated the disruption was caused by emergency maintenance on a main distribution network pipe damaged due to intermittent power supply.
Seven sub-districts in Medan City are the areas most severely affected by the water outage: Delitua, Medan Amplas, Medan Kota, Medan Area, Medan Perjuangan, Medan Maimun, and parts of Percut Sei Tuan. All fall under five service branches of PDAM Tirtanadi, namely the Delitua, Medan Kota, Medan Denai, HM Yamin, and Tuasan branches.
President Director of PDAM Tirtanadi Medan, Ardian Surbakti, stated on the official account @tirtanadiprovsu that repairs were scheduled to begin on Tuesday evening, 9 June 2026, until completion. As a result, water flow in the affected areas would diminish and cease completely. “We offer our most sincere apologies to all the people of North Sumatra for the clean water service disruption due to operational machinery damage caused by the power outage,” Ardian said.
Sutrisno Pangaribuan, Deputy Chair for Political Affairs of the PDI Perjuangan Regional Representative Council in North Sumatra, assessed that the power outage was merely an excuse. Due to the water outage, thousands of customers could not carry out washing, bathing, and toilet activities. Meanwhile, water supplied by tanker trucks was only sufficient for residents’ cooking needs. “The excuse of pump damage due to the power outage is a scapegoat. The Governor must appear because he chose the incompetent directors and supervisory board of PDAM Tirtanadi. Or when will Bobby Nasution visit Perumda Tirtanadi as he did with PLN? What compensation will he fight for the business operators who are losing out?” Sutrisno said on Wednesday, 10 June 2026.
He urged North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution to immediately realise compensation for the thousands of PDAM customers suffering losses. “The lights are off, the water is off, we demand compensation!” he said.
Anticipating complaints from residents losing their clean water source, Medan Mayor Rico Waas instructed the Fire and Rescue Service to supply clean water directly to residential areas. Five vehicles were deployed to sweep the areas affected by the water crisis. One distribution point was on Jalan DC Barito, Medan Polonia sub-district. “We have asked all sub-district ranks to monitor and oversee this clean water distribution. Ensure all residents in need receive supplies without exception,” said Rico.
Head of the Medan City Fire and Rescue Service, Wandro Abadi Agnellus Malau, added that 24 personnel were deployed specifically to assist with the distribution of clean water to residents. His party continued to communicate with sub-districts so that the distribution process ran effectively and was on target. “As soon as there is a report of a water shortage area, we immediately dispatch a vehicle to the location so that handling can be as fast as possible,” he said.
Residents protested when a Fire and Rescue Service water tanker truck filled water at the home of Benny Sinomba Siregar, Head of the Medan City Library and Archives Service, who is none other than the uncle of North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution. Dozens of residents of Jalan STM Gang Suka Cita, Suka Maju Village, Medan Johor sub-district, protested. The residents, mostly women, accused the water distribution of being unfair because they did not receive similar assistance. “We have had no water since last night. The fire truck is instead filling water at an official’s house. The public is not being served,” said a disappointed Marni. Tension occurred when residents asked the government to provide an explanation regarding the mechanism for distributing clean water aid and the reason the official’s house was prioritised. The water tanker truck ultimately chose to leave the location.
Fadli, a business owner on Jalan Utama in Medan City, recounted that the water went off at his home from Tuesday night until Wednesday. The condition worsened because the electricity was also out. “Everything is off! It’s useless calling the call centre, you can’t get through. Even though I just want to ask where clean water is being distributed,” he said.
In Binjai, a city neighbouring Medan and Deli Serdang Regency, the power and water outages were also felt by Dinda. The mother of two felt aggrieved because she could not work without electricity and had to buy refillable water for daily needs. “It is only proper that we ask for compensation, the public’s losses are too great,” she said.