Cisadane River Recovers Following Pesticide Contamination, Odours Disappear and Residents Resume Fishing

Tangerang — The banks of the Cisadane River in the Babakan area of Tangerang City have become populated with residents fishing for fish once more on Monday, 2 March 2026.

There is no longer the acrid stench resembling petrol that had been detected weeks earlier following a pesticide warehouse fire at Taman Tekno in South Tangerang.

The river water appears to be flowing normally. No dead fish floating on the surface are visible, unlike during the contamination incident that occurred on Monday, 9 February 2026.

Didit, 62, a Babakan resident, said he had resumed fishing within the past week.

He noted that the strong odour previously detected around the Cisadane River flow has now disappeared.

“From last Sunday onwards there has been no smell. It has already been cleaned,” Didit said when met at the riverbank on Monday, 2 March 2026.

According to him, the acrid odour gradually disappeared following the clean-up work carried out by officials.

“It has been cleaned, and additionally the contaminated waters were swept away by rainfall from Bogor twice, so the polluted water was carried off,” he said.

Now, residents have returned to normal activities around the river, ranging from simply sitting relaxed to fishing.

Not only has the odour disappeared, but Didit also noted that fish in the Cisadane River remain abundant. He had even successfully caught fish several times.

“There are still fish, there are still many fish, such as tilapia and catfish,” he said.

When the contamination occurred, he witnessed numerous dead fish floating on the river surface.

However, that condition is no longer visible. “At that time many died, but now it has returned to normal. Fishermen are already crowded again,” Didit said.