Masongsong, Von Karlo G.

CHE185 – A03
Journal Critic on Citarum River

Discussion should be more about what happen to the river, why did the river become worst and the

people behind and include what would be the best solution to improve the quality of the river.

Citarum River in West Java Indonesia has been dubbed as the world’s most polluted river.

Although unfit for use and human consumption, people still consume the water from this river for their

daily activities. The pollution was believed to grow in the late 1980s, along with the rapid growth of

industrialization in the area. Over time, the water quality of the river worsens, as industrial and domestic

waste are directly discharge to the water body. Currently, Kiprop (2015) stated that there are more than

2,000 operating industries near the river and most of which discharges the effluents from their plant

without prior treatment. It is believed that the wastewater discharge contains heavy metals such lead,

arsenic and mercury which are considered to be detrimental to the human health and environment. There

are environmental legislations provided, yet enforcing the law has become a problem. Aside from that,

pesticides and farm slurry in the nearby farmlands also contributes to the growing pollution of the river.

The problem worsens as five million people released domestic waste into inland water, amounting to 10

metric tons per day. Because of these, poor sanitation and hygiene cause 50,000 deaths annually in

Indonesia and more than 60% of the children are suffering from skin disease as specified by Unreported

World. Access to clean drinking water has been reduced, economic sustainability of the river was affected,

and the growing cases of health-related issues were observed. Even though the people living the river

basin know that its bad to pollute the environment, they turn a blind eye to unfolding environmental

disasters.
 The river can still be rehabilitated, if the people within the river will work together as one. In my

opinion, the following can be a solution to the problem that they are facing.

1. Seminars and Public Education Program

Current facts of the state of the river and the effects of the river to them must be reported to the
people living near the river. I strongly agree that education will be a key to rehabilitating the river.
With this, they will be informed on how to care for the river that they depend on.

2. Weekly waste collection

The local government should allocate enough funding to support the weekly garbage collection.
If this is achieved, then waste dumping to inland water will be greatly reduced.
3. Recycling facilities

The government should build recycling centers and landfills as it will provide jobs to the locals and
will also reduce the waste production.
4. Force closure to polluting plants

Under the law, the polluting plants must not be operating in the first place due to their illegal
activities. The government should be diligent enough to fulfill the roles that they applied for and
be more concern to the detrimental effects of human activities to the environment.
5. Relocation

If within the next 5 years and there is still no progress in terms of the river’s water quality, then,
it is just rightful to eliminate the source of pollution. People should be relocated to another area
to prevent the further buildup of human waste in the river. This is similar to how the Pasig River
was cleaned.

References

Kiprop, J. (2015). The most polluted river in the world: The Citarum river. Retrieved from

https://www.worldatlas.com