The Jakarta Legislative Council Commission D has urged that the budget reduction for the Jakarta Water Resources Agency (SDA) in the deliberations on the Draft City Budget (RAPBD) 2027 will not impede the execution of priority programs, such as flood control, river revitalization, and the development of blue open spaces.

Jakarta Commission D Chairwomen Yuke Yurike, stated that her commission has thoroughly scrutinized the budget proposals and planning of the SDA Agency. According to her, flood mitigation must remain a paramount priority as it continues to pose a major challenge for the capital.

“In fact, compared to previous years, we are seeing a rather significant budget decrease. This is particularly crucial because it directly impacts flood control, blue open spaces, and canal and river revitalizations, which are the core priorities of both the Governor and the Jakarta government,” she expressed, Wednesday (11/11).

Beyond direct flood management, her commission backs the creation of reservoirs and retention ponds guided by nature-based solutions that blend water control with community public spaces.

The SDA agency has been called upon to draft plans across several high-potential sites in preparation for upcoming budget proposals.

Yuke also stressed the critical importance of maintaining reservoirs and retention basins that were built with substantial budgets. She noted, management models involving third parties are expected to serve as a reference for the Jakarta Asset Management Centre Management Unit (UP JAMC) in optimizing asset utilization efficiently and sustainably.

The operational readiness of flood control assets—such as stationary pumping stations, mobile pumps, and river dredging equipment—was also highlighted during the discussions. Yuke requested the agency to deliver comprehensive data on the status of all machinery, including out-of-order equipment, guaranteeing that the fleet is fully prepared as the rainy season approaches.

Her commission also pushed for the swift completion of the Domestic Wastewater Management System (SPALD) projects across Panggang and Untung Jawa islands in Seribu Islands. Further, planning for the normalization of drainage channels feeding into rivers needs to be prepared early to ensure seamless physical construction in 2028.

"We've allocated additional budget to focus on finalizing the SPALD in Seribu Islands, specifically on Panggang and Untung Jawa islands, so it can be thoroughly completed,” she added.

Yuke emphasized that the readiness of planning documents is critical so that physical construction can be proposed through either single-year or multi-year contract schemes.

“In essence, we want to see clear and measurable progress over the next few years in managing and controlling floods in Jakarta, thus the benefits are directly felt by the community,” she stated.