West Jakarta Water Resources Agency Follows Up on Flooding in Kembangan: Drainage System Must Be Improved

The West Jakarta Water Resources Sub-District Office is following up on the flooding in Kembangan that occurred due to ditches or water retention areas being backfilled, causing water to overflow. Head of the West Jakarta Water Resources Sub-District Office, Mustajab, stated that his team will check whether the backfilling was carried out in accordance with procedures.

“Later, as water management supervisors, we will check from the SIPPT whether it complies with the agreed obligations. From that aspect,” said Mustajab to reporters after inspecting the flooding at the location on Tuesday (5/4/2026).

Mustajab emphasised that backfilling swamp land or water retention areas has specific regulations. According to him, these must not be violated.

“Actually, every swamp development has an obligation for 30 percent for Blue Open Space, which must be carried out,” he stressed.

Mustajab said the flooding there is not just about the presence or absence of backfilling. According to him, there is also a drainage system through channels that needs to be improved.

“It’s not a problem of the backfilling; the dimensions of the channels must be normalised so that the volume coming from the two inlets can be accommodated and flow to the Angke River,” he explained.

“It still needs to be fixed systematically. Well, Mrs. (the West Jakarta Mayor) knows herself that the system problem (water channels) is indeed not yet complete to the Angke River, so it needs to be resolved,” he added.

Previously, a resident of RT 09 RW 1, Ahmad Juliana (42), said the flooding in Kembangan occurred after water overflowed from a ditch or water retention area.

“It started with rain at night, then overflowed again at 2-3 a.m., plus inflows from the Angke River,” said Ahmad.

He explained that this water overflow had never happened before. According to him, the water that should have flowed was obstructed because the water retention and ditches around RT 1 were backfilled with soil.

“This should be a water pathway. But now the water isn’t contained and ends up on the roads and into houses,” he clarified.