North Sumatra Accelerates Repair of Disaster-Damaged Water Infrastructure
The North Sumatra provincial government is intensifying repairs to water infrastructure damaged by natural disasters across various areas.
This measure is being taken to trap sediment, prevent further flooding, and accelerate post-disaster recovery.
LATEST NEWS: GIIAS Surabaya 2026: Deputy Minister of Industry Boosts Electric Vehicle Development
“We are collaborating with the Sumatra River Basin Agency (BBWS) to repair disaster-damaged infrastructure at various locations in North Sumatra,” said Gibson Panjaitan, Acting Head of the North Sumatra Water Resources Agency, during a press conference held by the North Sumatra Communications and Information Agency (Diskominfo) in the Dekranasda lobby of the North Sumatra Governor’s office on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.
According to Gibson, one of the sites being addressed is the Aek Sigala-gala River in Central Tapanuli (Tapteng). Repairs are being carried out from upstream to downstream to reduce flood risks and the impact of sediment.
Upstream, the Sumatra River Basin Agency (BBWS) is constructing a Sabo dam on the Aek Sigala-gala River in Central Tapanuli Regency to trap sediment and prevent further flooding.
“In the downstream area, the North Sumatra Water Resources Agency is reinforcing riverbanks in several flood-affected areas. Contracts have been signed, and heavy equipment is already on-site. Work begins this week to quickly complete repairs to the damaged infrastructure,” Gibson stated.
LATEST NEWS: Pegadaian Hosts ‘Gold Festival’ at Medan Fair Plaza to Promote Financial Literacy and Inclusion
Gibson explained that the North Sumatra Water Resources Agency will carry out sixteen post-disaster projects in 2026. Contracts have been signed for nine construction projects, while seven others are still in the tender phase.
These construction projects are spread across various disaster-affected areas: Langkat, Central Tapanuli, South Tapanuli, North Tapanuli, Batubara, and Mandailing Natal.
Meanwhile, post-disaster infrastructure repairs are being carried out at various locations in Central Tapanuli using regional transfer funds (TKD).
These projects include reinforcing the banks of the Aek Panjaitan River (budget: IDR 25 billion), rehabilitating the Badiri Lopian irrigation area canal (IDR 1.5 billion), rehabilitating the Mombang Boru irrigation area canal (IDR 18 billion), and reinforcing the banks of the Aek Badiri River (IDR 30 billion).
LATEST NEWS: The new Audi Q5 SUV: the latest model in the Audi Q series
In addition, IDR 30 billion has been allocated for rehabilitating the banks of the Aek Sibundong River, IDR 23 billion for repairing the banks of the Aek Pintu Bosi River, IDR 20 billion for rehabilitating the banks of the Aek Siaili Tukka River, and IDR 50 billion for reinforcing the banks of the Aek Sibuluan River.
Beyond repairing infrastructure damaged by the disaster, the North Sumatra Water Resources Agency will also expand the irrigation network to support food security and boost agricultural productivity. Gibson stated that, based on data regarding surface and swamp irrigation areas in North Sumatra, approximately 36,000 hectares of land are currently in a productive state, out of a total potential of around 113,000 hectares.
“This year, we will work on 20 irrigation areas to add 5,050 hectares of productive agricultural land in North Sumatra. We hope to complete this work by December 2026, allowing the area of productive agricultural land to increase from 36,000 hectares to 41,000 hectares,” Gibson explained. ***rel
Sumatera Utara Percepat Perbaikan Infrastruktur SDA Rusak Akibat Bencana
Pemerintah Provinsi (Pemprov) Sumatera Utara (Sumut) menggenjot perbaikan infrastruktur sumber daya air (SDA) yang rusak akibat bencana alam di sejumlah daerah.
Langkah tersebut dilakukan untuk menahan sedimen, mencegah banjir susulan, sekaligus mempercepat pemulihan kawasan pascabencana.
“Kita berkolaborasi dengan Balai Besar Wilayah Sungai (BBWS) Sumatera melakukan perbaikan infrastruktur yang rusak akibat bencana di beberapa lokasi di Sumut,” ujar Plt Kepala Dinas Sumber Daya Air (SDA) Sumut, Gibson Panjaitan, dalam konferensi pers yang digelar Diskominfo Sumut di Lobby Dekranasda Kantor Gubernur Sumut, Rabu, 26 Agustus 2026.
Menurut Gibson, salah satu lokasi yang mendapat penanganan adalah Sungai Aek Sigala-gala, Tapanuli Tengah (Tapteng). Perbaikan dilakukan dari bagian hulu hingga hilir untuk mengurangi risiko banjir dan dampak material sedimen.
Di bagian hulu, BBWS Sumatera membangun Sabo Dam di Sungai Aek Sigala-gala, Kabupaten Tapanuli Tengah, untuk menahan material sedimen dan mencegah terjadinya banjir susulan.
“Untuk kawasan hilir Dinas SDA Sumut melakukan penguatan tebing di beberapa titik banjir. Progresnya sudah teken kontrak dan alat berat juga sudah di lapangan. Minggu ini sudah beroperasi agar perbaikan infrastruktur banjir yang rusak bisa cepat selesai,” katanya.
Gibson menjelaskan, sepanjang 2026 Dinas SDA Sumut melaksanakan 16 kegiatan pascabencana. Dari jumlah tersebut, sembilan kegiatan pembangunan telah menandatangani kontrak, sedangkan tujuh kegiatan lainnya masih dalam proses tender.
Kegiatan pembangunan tersebut tersebar di sejumlah daerah terdampak bencana, yakni Langkat, Tapanuli Tengah, Tapanuli Selatan, Tapanuli Utara, Batubara, dan Mandailing Natal.
Sementara itu, perbaikan infrastruktur penanganan pascabencana yang menggunakan anggaran Dana Transfer ke Daerah (TKD) dilakukan di sejumlah lokasi di Tapanuli Tengah.
Di antaranya, perkuatan tebing Sungai Aek Panjaitan dengan anggaran Rp25 miliar, rehabilitasi saluran Daerah Irigasi Badiri Lopian Rp1,5 miliar, rehabilitasi saluran Daerah Irigasi Mombang Boru Rp18 miliar, serta perkuatan tebing Sungai Aek Badiri Rp30 miliar.
Selain itu, dialokasikan anggaran untuk rehabilitasi tanggul Sungai Aek Sibundong sebesar Rp30 miliar, perbaikan tanggul Sungai Aek Pintu Bosi Rp23 miliar, rehabilitasi tanggul Sungai Aek Siaili Tukka Rp20 miliar, serta perkuatan tebing Sungai Aek Sibuluan Rp50 miliar.
Tak hanya memperbaiki infrastruktur yang rusak akibat bencana, Dinas SDA Sumut juga akan menambah jaringan irigasi untuk mendukung ketahanan pangan dan meningkatkan produktivitas pertanian.
Gibson mengatakan, berdasarkan data luas irigasi permukaan maupun rawa di Sumatera Utara, saat ini lahan yang berada dalam kondisi produktif tercatat sekitar 36.000 hektare dari total potensi sekitar 113.000 hektare.
“Tahun ini kami akan menangani 20 daerah irigasi untuk menambah lahan pertanian produktif di Sumut seluas 5.050 hektare. Pengerjaan ini kita harapkan dapat selesai hingga Desember 2026, sehingga tahun depan lahan pertanian produktif bisa bertambah dari 36 ribu hektare menjadi 41 ribu hektare,” jelas Gibson. ***rel
