Warning: Four Indonesian Regions Face Clean Water Crisis
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The peak of the dry season is forecast to begin in August. This year’s dry season is predicted to be the longest on record, with several regions at risk of a clean water crisis.
In March, the Ministry of National Development Planning (PPN)/National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) highlighted several regions likely to face water crises, particularly on Java.
‘Indonesia’s overall water supply remains adequate, but when examining by island or region, the areas with significant water shortages are concentrated in Java,’ said Dadang Jainal Mutaqin, Director of Forestry and Water Resources Conservation at PPN/Bappenas, during the dissemination of the Indonesia Environmental Outlook (IEO) 2026 in March, as cited by CNN Indonesia on 30 May.
Furthermore, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) stated that this year’s dry season is expected to be drier than usual (below normal) in 64.5% of the Monsoon Zones. This could disrupt water availability for household needs.
According to multiple sources, the following four regions on Java are at high risk of clean water supply crises:
- Jakarta
Bappenas’ Environmental Outlook dissemination data identifies Jakarta as one of Java’s regions with critical water availability issues.
The loss of clean water access in Jakarta stems from two technical factors: massive groundwater extraction accelerating land subsidence, and high pollution contaminating surface water sources.
- West Java
BMKG forecasts that most of West Java will enter the dry season with rainfall below normal levels.
93% of West Java’s areas are expected to experience below-normal rainfall during the dry season, meaning lower precipitation than usual, making this year’s dry season drier than typical.
Affected regions include Bandung, Tasikmalaya, Cianjur, Sukabumi, Cirebon, and Kuningan.
- Central Java
According to the Central Java Provincial Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), several areas are at risk of drought during the 2026 dry season. Vulnerable regions were identified based on past drought experiences, including Grobogan, Blora, Rembang, Sragen, Klaten, Pemalang, and Wonogiri.
To mitigate the impact, the Central Java local government has prepared 123 million litres of clean water reserves.
- East Java
Bappenas specifically classifies East Java as a province with high vulnerability to regional clean water crises.
Pressure on clean water supply in East Java is exacerbated by agriculture, which accounts for up to 80% of national water usage, competing with domestic needs in industrial hubs during rainfall deficit periods.