Environment Ministry: 59 Percent of Indonesian Rivers Severely Polluted

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Environment and Forestry Ministry (KLHK) said 59 percent of rivers in Indonesia are still severely polluted. The sources of river water pollution include industrial waste, such as oil, gas, and mining, as well as domestic or household waste and livestock waste.

The waste causes biota to die due to a lack of oxygen. “Living creatures in rivers need oxygen. If the water is polluted, the oxygen content decreases, and so the life of the biota will surely be harmed,” said the ministry’s Water Pollution Control Director, Luckmi Purwandari, in an interview with Antara in Jakarta, Tuesday, July 27.

However, she said the current condition has improved compared to the data in 2015 that 79.5 percent of rivers across the archipelago were in the heavy pollution status. “This means there is an improvement in water quality in Indonesia.”

“Based on data that I have recapitulated in 2020, 59 percent of 564 river areas were heavily polluted, 26.6 percent were moderately polluted, and 8.9 percent was lightly polluted,” Luckmi outlined.

The KLHK thus applied two strategies to tackle the water pollution issues and maintain clear water in the rivers. First, controlling the amount of waste from polluting sources, such as home industries, small-scale business waste, and livestock waste. Secondly, stabilizing water discharge during the rainy season and the dry season.

Read: A New Hope for the Environment

ANTARA