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Polluted river turns blue, green in Bekasi
Bekasi, an industrial city that hosts thousands of factories, has a serious water pollution problem. About 80 percent of raw water distributed by local water company PDAM Tirta Patriot comes from the polluted Bekasi River, causing frequent disruptions to tap water supplies.
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People brave the floodwaters on Jl. Caman Raya in South Bekasi, Bekasi, West Java, on Feb. 21. (JP/Bagas Rahadian)
Bekasi, an industrial city that hosts thousands of factories, has a serious water pollution problem.
About 80 percent of raw water distributed by local water company PDAM Tirta Patriot comes from the polluted Bekasi River, causing frequent disruptions to tap water supplies.
In March, the river was filled with foam that was as white as snow, the perpetrators of which are still unknown, while in January, the color of the river became a blackish green, causing several residents to suffer itchiness because their tap water was also affected.
Two weeks ago, the color of the river turned black and emitted an unpleasant smell.
PDAM Tirta Patriot technical director Cecep Ahmadi said each time a section of the river was contaminated, the company would stop production.
“Our production will stop if the source of raw water is polluted with hazardous and toxic waste,” Cecep said over the weekend.
Each time contamination is reported, production is stopped for nine hours from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. but the company still runs limited distribution using water storage.
