PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - The Bandung City Government's efforts to reduce flood risk are not limited to building drainage systems and pumping stations. Increasing soil absorption capacity through the construction of deep recharge wells, biopore wells, retention ponds, and reforestation of critical land are also part of its integrated rainwater management strategy.

The Head of the Bandung City Water Resources and Highways Agency (DSDABM), Rizki Kusrulyadi, stated that these measures are being implemented continuously, including during the dry season. The goal is to ensure that more rainwater is absorbed by the ground, stored, or channeled effectively to prevent excessive runoff.

"Since the beginning of the year, our work has been to normalize drainage, build retention ponds, create deep recharge wells, biopore wells, and various other efforts. The key is to reduce water runoff," said Rizki at Bandung City Hall on Monday (October 12, 2026).

One ongoing effort is the construction of deep recharge wells. By October 2026, the number had reached approximately 1,300 units spread across various locations in Bandung City. These facilities are intended to help increase water infiltration into the ground as part of rainwater runoff management.

"If critical land is exposed to rain, water and soil can overflow, which causes sedimentation. Therefore, we reinforce it with plants with strong roots so that more water can seep into the soil," he explained.

Tree planting in several areas is part of this effort. Following the reforestation activities in the Cihanja area, DSDABM also plans further planting in the Pasirwangi and Ujungberung areas. The Ujungberung planting location is planned to be different from the previous activities.

Rizki explained that reforestation on critical land focuses on improving water absorption. Meanwhile, environmental management from other aspects also requires collaboration with relevant regional agencies to ensure a more comprehensive environmental restoration effort.

The challenges of water management in Bandung are also influenced by its basin-like geography. Water from higher elevations can flow into the city, while dense settlements in several areas also impact water catchment areas and channel capacity.

Therefore, handling runoff needs to be done through various approaches simultaneously, starting from repairing channels, preparing water reservoirs, increasing infiltration facilities, to restoring vegetation cover on critical land.

Rizki also emphasized that the success of these efforts requires community involvement. Based on normalization efforts, household waste is still found in large amounts in several drainage channels and rivers, obstructing water flow.

"We are all working together to protect Bandung. We urge the public not to throw household waste into rivers or drainage channels, to sort waste properly, and to provide separate trash bins," he said. (Bandung City Communications and Information Office/rka)