Cirebon City faces water crisis as dry season peaks, prepares for 2026 disasters

Cirebon City, West Java, is grappling with a severe clean water shortage as the dry season intensifies, impacting over 3,000 residents and prompting preparations for future hydrometeorological disasters.

The city is bracing for potential calamities in 2026, with the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) forecasting August to be the peak of the dry season. As of August 4, 2026, three neighborhood units in Argasunya sub-district have been hit by drought, leaving 1,004 households, or approximately 3,271 people, struggling to access clean water. The local government, through its disaster management agency (BPBD), regional water company (PDAM), and the Red Cross (PMI), has responded by distributing 45,000 liters of clean water.

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When the drought occurs and the community begins to have difficulty getting water, of course, we must immediately be present. But going forward, what is more important is how we prepare the water supply from the beginning, before the condition becomes critical.

Mayor Effendi Edo highlighted the urgency of the situation, stating, "When the drought occurs and the community begins to have difficulty getting water, of course, we must immediately be present. But going forward, what is more important is how we prepare the water supply from the beginning, before the condition becomes critical." He noted that climate change is increasingly evident in Cirebon, evidenced by a rise in hydrometeorological disasters. In 2025, the city recorded 156 disaster events, nearly double the 88 recorded in 2020. These incidents included fallen trees, collapsed buildings, extreme weather, floods, landslides, land fires, and tidal floods.

Edo further detailed the impact of recent floods, which in January 2026 damaged embankments and inundated five sub-districts, affecting over 4,000 people. The first half of 2026 alone saw five flood events. In response, the Cirebon City government has declared a disaster alert status for 2025–2026 and is undertaking various mitigation efforts, including physical infrastructure development and enhancing community preparedness. "Climate change is no longer something we only talk about as a future problem. We are already feeling and facing its impacts together. Therefore, preparedness must become a habit, not just something done when a disaster has occurred," Edo urged.

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Climate change is no longer something we only talk about as a future problem. We are already feeling and facing its impacts together. Therefore, preparedness must become a habit, not just something done when a disaster has occurred.