Indonesia's Central Regions Grapple With Drought and Water Aid Efforts

The Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah (BPBD) in Pemalang Regency has been distributing clean water by air‑dropping to two villages, Belik and Pulosari, covering 67 drop points with two tanker trucks. Local officials say the effort meets basic needs for drinking, cooking and washing, and they urge residents to conserve water as the dry season continues into August.

In Sleman, PDAM Tirta Sembada is securing water supply by keeping large reserve capacity in the Opak River and other sources, while mapping drought‑prone districts such as Godean, Moyudan and Seyegan. The utility plans to use booster pumps and additional reservoirs if pressure drops during the peak dry months.

Banjarnegara’s BPBD reports a widening clean‑water crisis across 11 villages in four districts. By mid‑July it had delivered more than 1.03 million litres of water to 3,725 families, using tank trucks from the agency and the Indonesian Red Cross.

In Tangerang Selatan (Tangsel), residents of Kampung Koceak face keruh well water and rely on emergency aid. The local BPBD has supplied about 19,000 litres to 55 families, but many still need to purchase bottled water.

Meteorological forecasts warn that the 2026 dry season will be longer and drier than normal, prompting health officials to advise the public on hydration measures.