Sudin SDA Reveals a Shocking Fact: Turap is Quietly Recovered, West Jakarta Floods are Getting Worse

JAKARTA - The Head of the West Jakarta Water Resources Service (Sudin SDA) Purwanti Suryandari revealed that flooding in a number of areas in West Jakarta was exacerbated by the actions of residents who pierced sheet piles or canal retaining walls.

According to Purwanti, when the flood inundated the settlement, especially in Rawa Buaya Village, Cengkareng District, some residents took the initiative to dig a ditch so that the water puddles would flow quickly into the river.

"Especially for those in Rawa Buaya, there are gaps in the sheetpile times in the settlement that are indeed bolongin by residents because the residents need to drain water (flood puddles)," said Purwanti when reviewing the dredging of Kali Sepak, Kembangan, West Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, January 13.

However, he emphasized that this step actually exacerbated the flood conditions when the water flow of the river increased. Turap which originally functioned to hold the overflow of water was not optimal because it had been pierced.

As a result, when the water level rises, the overflow easily enters the residential area and causes backflow or backwater.

"Once it is high (rising), it must be backwater, right, the river water will enter the settlement," he said.

This condition, continued Purwanti, makes it difficult for the local government's flood management efforts because the flow of water is no longer controlled according to the function of flood control infrastructure.

The West Jakarta Sub-Director of Public Works and Public Housing has also coordinated with the RT and RW managers in the Rawa Buaya area so that the community no longer pokes holes in the pavement. Residents are asked to throw stagnant water into the available environmental channels.

"So, it doesn't break into the river because, for example, when the river is receding, they will flow from the residents' channels to the river," said Purwanti.

He hopes that public awareness can increase so that the function of the sluice and flood control system is maintained, so that the risk of subsequent flooding can be minimized.