East Jakarta Cleans Drains Ahead of Rainy Season to Reduce Flood Risk

JAKARTA, STUPA NEWS — Authorities in East Jakarta are stepping up drainage cleaning during the dry season as part of efforts to reduce the risk of flooding and waterlogging when rainfall increases.

East Jakarta Mayor Munjirin led a drainage-cleaning operation on Jalan DI Panjaitan in Rawa Bunga, Jatinegara, on Friday (Sept. 18), involving municipal workers, water-management crews and local residents.

The operation focused on removing waste and dredging accumulated sediment from drainage channels, including smaller and larger waterways as well as connecting channels.

Munjirin said the dry season provided an opportunity to inspect drainage conditions and remove sediment before the arrival of heavier rainfall.

“We use the dry season to clearly assess the condition of the drainage channels, including how deep the sediment is and how much waste has accumulated,” Munjirin told reporters.

He said drainage cleaning was carried out routinely every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday across parts of East Jakarta to help maintain the capacity and function of the city's water channels.

Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, regularly faces flooding and waterlogging during periods of heavy rainfall, with drainage capacity and waste accumulation among factors that can affect water flow.

Munjirin also urged residents to help maintain cleaned drainage channels by avoiding the disposal of household waste and other materials into waterways.

“After the channels have been cleaned, nearby residents can help maintain them and monitor them so that waste and other materials are not dumped into the drains,” he said.

The cleaning campaign is part of the city's preparations for the rainy season and efforts to keep water flowing through its drainage network. (Gusti Haes)