Depok City Government Clears 15 Tonnes of Waste, Targeting Kali Baru and Kali Laya Rivers

The Depok City Government, through the Public Works and Spatial Planning Department (PUPR), is normalising drainage channels as part of efforts to combat flooding and clean the environment in the Cimanggis and Sukmajaya sub-districts. This action targeted the flows of the Kali Baru and Kali Laya rivers, with a total of around 15 tonnes of rubbish successfully collected. The operation involved approximately 154 personnel from the Water Resources Task Force, who directly cleared piles of rubbish, dominated by plastic and household waste. From this activity, at least 2,400 sacks of rubbish were transported from the site. The Head of the Water Resources Division of the Depok City PUPR Department, Rizwan Nurahim, stated that this activity is part of efforts to combat flooding and clean the environment, particularly in the Depok City area. “This action was carried out by the Water Resources Task Force,” said Rizwan on Monday afternoon (6/4/2026). He mentioned that several areas have been hit by flooding due to rain and rubbish accumulation. Cleaning was carried out along the Kali Baru and Kali Laya rivers to address flooding that inundated the Taman Duta Housing, Bukit Cengkeh 1 and 2, and residents’ settlements on Jalan Raya Proklamasi in Abadijaya Ward, Sukmajaya Sub-district. “In addition to rubbish transport, the Water Resources Task Force carried out mud dredging to restore the channel’s function,” Rizwan explained. Rizwan detailed that the rubbish and mud transported from the Kali Baru flow was around 7 tonnes, and 8 tonnes from Kali Laya, transported by 6 large trucks to the Cipayung Final Disposal Site (TPA). In addition to that incident, Rizwan continued, similar cleaning occurred on Jalan Raya Proklamasi, specifically opposite Pasar Agung. “This is so that the settlements there are no longer flooded during floods. This also shows the importance of keeping water channels free from household rubbish blockages, including rubbish from Pasar Agung traders,” he said. The Head of the Development and Rehabilitation Section of the Water Resources PUPR Department of Depok City, Bahtiar Ardiansyah, added that the number of personnel deployed this year has increased compared to the previous year. If in 2025 there were only around 50 personnel, this year it has increased to 154 personnel. “The task force personnel we deployed this time are more, around 154 people,” he said. He explained that the accumulated rubbish reached approximately 15 tonnes, most of which consisted of plastic and household waste carried to the river areas and settlements. “The collected rubbish is approximately 15 tonnes, with around 2,400 sacks. The majority is plastic and vegetable waste,” he clarified. Bahtiar added that the rubbish accumulation in the area has worsened after the flooding some time ago. Although the managers routinely clean every day, the volume of rubbish has increased significantly after the flood. Indeed, the PUPR Department routinely cleans every day, but after the flood, the impact is very noticeable, especially in the Kali Laya and Kali Baru flows. “Through this action, it is hoped that public awareness will increase to not dispose of rubbish indiscriminately, especially into the river flows, as it can worsen the situation,” he concluded.