West Java drought drives villagers to use pit water for bathing and jeopardizes 10,600‑ha rice harvest

In the village of Batu Tumpang, Purwakarta, a three‑month water shortage has forced residents to bathe and wash clothes in stagnant, polluted pits left by former excavations. "Sudah tiga bulan enggak ada air, terpaksa air kubangan digunakan untuk mandi dan mencuci," said resident Nina. Families purchase bottled water for drinking and cooking, while limited government water deliveries have proved insufficient.

At the same time, the prolonged drought across Indramayu threatens 10,673 hectares of rice fields in six sub‑districts. Local farmer leader Sutatang warned, “Areal terdampak kekeringan yang paling luas ada di Kecamatan Sukra,” noting that up to 2,500 hectares in Sukra alone face crop failure if irrigation water is not supplied promptly. The potential loss could sharply reduce the region’s rice output.