Jakarta – Strengthening water infrastructure and increasing cross-sectoral preparedness are crucial steps in facing the 2026 dry season, which is predicted to be drier than normal.
The central government, regional governments, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), and the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) continue to strengthen coordination to minimize the risk of drought and maintain the availability of clean water for the community.
The Head of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), Teuku Faisal Fathani, reminded all stakeholders to increase their preparedness to face the potential impacts of the long dry season.
“We’ve been saying since March that an El Niño phenomenon would occur this year. Then, on June 2, the WMO also announced that an El Niño event would occur in 2026,” he said.
According to Faisal, El Niño and the dry season are two different phenomena, but both can affect rainfall in Indonesia. According to BMKG monitoring, as of the end of May 2026, the ENSO index had reached +1.0, indicating El Niño conditions, while approximately 28 percent of Indonesia had entered the dry season.
Specifically in West Java, most areas are expected to enter the dry season in May to June, with the peak occurring in August and continuing into September in some areas.
Rainfall is predicted to be in the low to medium category and tends to be drier than normal conditions.
“Some areas, such as the north coast of West Java, have already entered the dry season, while other areas, like Bogor, have different characteristics and therefore still have the potential for rainfall. Therefore, monitoring needs to be carried out specifically based on seasonal zones,” he explained.
Facing this situation, the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army, General Maruli Simanjuntak, asked all ranks of the Indonesian Army to map drought-prone areas and prepare anticipatory measures early on.
“If we used to have disaster data, now we need drought anticipation data. We need to know which areas have experienced drought, and based on the BMKG’s explanations, which areas are at risk of drought. What should we do?” said Maruli.
He emphasized that the program to provide clean water through well drilling will continue.
In line with this, the Governor of West Java, Dedi Mulyadi, is pushing for the acceleration of clean water network development to anticipate areas that routinely experience water shortages during the dry season.
By strengthening water infrastructure, early warning systems, and inter-agency coordination, the government is optimistic that the impact of the 2026 drought can be minimized, thereby ensuring the community’s water needs, food security, and environmental sustainability.