Ciujung River in Serang Suspected of Pollution: Black in Colour, Pungent Odour

The flow of the Ciujung River in Serang Regency, Banten Province, is suspected of being polluted. The river’s water is reportedly pitch black and emits a pungent odour. The Banten Provincial Environment and Forestry Service (DLHK) has stepped in to conduct an investigation, focusing on three main aspects to thoroughly probe the waste pollution affecting the Ciujung River’s flow. Wawan Wahyudi, Head of the Planning and Capacity Building Division at DLHK Banten, explained that the agency responded to complaints from the local community. His team is currently finalising an initial analysis before a scheduled direct visit to the location next week. ‘This river case is cumulative in nature. Therefore, before going into the field, we are delving into three investigative focuses to ascertain the root of the problem,’ he stated in Serang on Monday (22/6). The three main aspects being focused on by DLHK Banten include water quality analysis (BOD and COD), where the agency is reviewing water sample records from 2024 and 2025. From the interim analysis, it was detected that the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) parameters in the waters are very high and potentially exceed quality standards. The second focus is the identification of cumulative sources, where the team is conducting specific mapping to differentiate the contribution of pollutants. This tracing aims to determine the percentage of waste originating from domestic activities (households) compared to industrial waste discharged along the riverbanks. The third aspect involves examining water discharge and sedimentation, investigating the current volume and movement of the Ciujung River’s water flow. DLHK suspects that static water conditions negate the natural flushing effect, ultimately causing waste to continuously settle, thicken, and undergo severe sedimentation. ‘Although the internal investigation is underway, we still encourage directly affected residents to file official complaints immediately. Information from complainants is crucial as a basis for the agency’s administrative handling,’ he said.