{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1652877,
        "msgid": "dredging-water-hyacinth-in-pluit-reservoir-only-addresses-symptoms-not-the-root-problem-1775145052",
        "date": "2026-04-02 22:24:11",
        "title": "Dredging Water Hyacinth in Pluit Reservoir Only Addresses Symptoms, Not the Root Problem",
        "author": "Tri Susanto Setiawan",
        "source": "KOMPAS",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Infrastructure",
        "summary": "The dredging of water hyacinth from Pluit Reservoir in North Jakarta is viewed as a temporary measure that fails to tackle the underlying pollution causing the plant's proliferation, according to environmental expert Mahawan Karuniasa from the University of Indonesia. He stresses that without controlling nutrient inflows from upstream sources and urban drainage, the invasive plant will regrow rapidly, potentially disrupting water flow, pump systems, and the reservoir's flood control capacity. Mahawan calls for a systematic approach involving advanced monitoring technologies like drones and satellite imagery, alongside better coordination in pollution control policies to prevent recurring outbreaks.",
        "content": "<p>JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com \u2013 The dredging of water hyacinth in Pluit\nReservoir, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, is considered to only address\nsurface symptoms and has yet to touch the root issue of water\npollution.<\/p>\n<p>Lecturer at the University of Indonesia\u2019s School of Environmental\nScience, Mahawan Karuniasa, stated that the use of heavy machinery such\nas excavators is temporary in nature.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cExcavators are necessary, but they represent a response to symptoms,\nnot therapy for the causes,\u201d he told Kompas.com on Thursday\n(2\/4\/2026).<\/p>\n<p>This aquatic plant can disrupt water flow, clog pump systems, and\nreduce the reservoir\u2019s storage capacity.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, he emphasised that water hyacinth will continue to\nregrow if the sources of nutrients entering the reservoir are not\ncontrolled.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf after removal the nutrients from upstream and urban drainage\ncontinue to enter, then the water hyacinth will return,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>He explained that the phenomenon of the reservoir appearing \u201cgreen\u201d\nwithin a few days is not entirely due to new growth, but a combination\nof rapid growth, fragments from existing colonies, and influences from\nwind, currents, and runoff from rainwater carrying additional\nnutrients.<\/p>\n<p>According to him, monitoring should not only be done visually but\nalso using technologies such as drones, satellite imagery, and regular\nwater quality testing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf a new outbreak is only noticed when the surface is already\ncovered, it indicates that the detection system is not yet strong\nenough,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Control should be carried out systematically, starting from\nmonitoring, controlling pollutant sources, to managing the biomass from\nthe removal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe problem is not the lack of policies, but partial implementation\nthat is not yet coordinated,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n<p>Mahawan revealed that the emergence of large amounts of water\nhyacinth not only affects aesthetics and odour but also has the\npotential to disrupt the function of flood control infrastructure.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dredging-water-hyacinth-in-pluit-reservoir-only-addresses-symptoms-not-the-root-problem-1775145052",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}