Banten DLHK Investigates Ciujung River Pollution

The Banten Environment and Forestry Service (DLHK) is conducting an investigation focusing on three main aspects to thoroughly probe the waste pollution that has once again turned the flow of the Ciujung River in Serang Regency pitch black and foul-smelling. The Head of the DLHK Banten’s Planning and Capacity Building Division, Wawan Wahyudi, stated in Serang on Monday that this measured step was taken in response to local community complaints. His team is currently finalising an initial analysis before scheduling a direct visit to the location next week. ‘This river case is cumulative in nature. Therefore, before going to the field, we are delving into three investigation focuses to ascertain the root of the problem,’ he said. The first focus involves cumulative source identification, where the team will carry out specific mapping to differentiate the contributions of waste. This tracing aims to determine the percentage of waste originating from domestic activities compared to industrial discharge along the riverbanks. The second focus is an examination of water flow and sedimentation, investigating the current volume and movement of the Ciujung River’s water. The DLHK suspects that static water conditions have nullified the natural flushing effect, causing waste to continuously settle, thicken, and undergo severe sedimentation.