Surabaya Regional Council Urges Flood Control Projects to Avoid Damaging Public Utilities
The Surabaya City Regional Council (DPRD) has requested that the flood control acceleration programme be implemented precisely. The Surabaya City Government and contractors have been urged to strengthen coordination to ensure that infrastructure work does not damage public utilities, including PDAM water pipes.
The Deputy Chairman of the Surabaya DPRD, Bahtiyar Rifai, highlighted recurring leaks in the PDAM Surya Sembada clean water distribution pipes caused by heavy machinery during drainage construction.
Bahtiyar assessed that physical projects, whether small or large-scale, should not interfere with vital objects and public utilities. Damage to the clean water network can directly impact the daily activities of residents.
“The long-term goal of this flood management project is very good, and we fully support it. However, the construction process must not strike the PDAM pipe network. The impact of a water crisis is felt immediately by the community,” Baulhtiyar stated in his remarks on Thursday (17/09/2026).
Bahtiyar also drew attention to road and drainage works funded by the Sub-district Fund (Dana Kelurahan). According to him, these neighbourhood-scale projects require more attention as they have the potential to hit underground pipe networks.
He revealed that projects managed by relevant departments generally possess more mature technical planning and coordination, which includes coordinating with PDAM before excavation work begins.
Meanwhile, projects at the sub-district level are deemed to still require strengthening in the mapping of underground utilities. According to Bahtiyar, this is essential to ensure that heavy machinery does not strike clean water pipe networks.
Bahtiyar explained that several areas have been affected by water supply disruptions due to pipes being damaged by heavy machinery. These include the Simomulyo area in Sukomanunggal District, the Asemrowo area, and several parts of the Kenjeran District.
“The scope of this damaged installation is wide. The scale of the damage can affect the water supply for several RTs, RWs, and even across different sub-districts. This is why it is vital to sit down with PDAM from the early planning stages to map out which points are safe before heavy machinery is deployed,” he said.
Bahtiyar requested the Surabaya City Government to establish technical coordination between contractors, sub-districts, villages, and PDAM Surya Sembada. He emphasised that the mapping of underground utility networks must be part of the planning before work commences.
Bahtiyar also encouraged the use of digital utility network maps as a reference for field workers before conducting excavations.
He assessed that such steps are crucial as the Surabaya City Government is accelerating flood management programmes ahead of the rainy season. Bahtiyar hopes that project implementation will not create new problems for the public.
“Our hope is that this flood management programme proceeds alongside mature planning. In addition to minimising traffic congestion caused by the accumulation of excavation materials, we must ensure there are no further disruptions to the clean water supply, which is a primary need for the residents of Surabaya,” he concluded.