Jakarta's Kali Gendong Declared Rubbish-Free After Five-Day Clean-Up

The Jakarta Environmental Agency (DLH) has announced that the handling of the rubbish pile blocking the flow of Kali Gendong in Muara Baru, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, has been completed. The clean-up process took five days and involved hundreds of combined personnel. Through a post on the social media account of the Water Body Waste Handling Unit (UPSBA) of the Jakarta DLH on Thursday (25/6/2026), it was stated that all the rubbish covering the waterway had been removed and dealt with after five days of intensive handling. “The condition of Kali Gendong, which is located in the middle of a residential area, was previously filled with a large volume of rubbish, disrupting the water flow and potentially causing environmental problems,” the UPSBA wrote in its post. The DLH explained that the clean-up process was carried out in stages until all the rubbish clogging the waterway could be transported. Previously, the condition of Kali Gendong had come under the spotlight after a video showing the pile of rubbish at the location went viral on social media. On the final day of handling, clean-up activities were carried out together with the Penjaringan Sub-district PPSU. A total of 100 personnel from the North Jakarta Water Body UPS and 20 PPSU personnel were deployed to clean the waterway area. According to the DLH, the success of the handling was the result of collaboration between various parties in overcoming the waste problem in water bodies. However, they reminded that maintaining the cleanliness of the waterway is not only the task of field officers but also requires community participation. “Keeping Kali Gendong clean after the handling is complete is our shared responsibility,” the DLH wrote. Previously, the Jakarta DLH revealed that waste handling in Kali Gendong was carried out routinely together with the North Jakarta Water Resources Sub-agency and the Penjaringan Sub-district PPSU. However, the waste problem in the area often recurs due to rubbish still entering the waterway from surrounding residential areas. The DLH hopes that the now clean condition of Kali Gendong can be maintained so that the water flow function remains optimal and the risk of environmental disruption can be minimised.