Indonesia ranks as the world’s third richest country in renewable water resources, with a supply of approximately 3,906 billion m3 of freshwater. The per capita availability of freshwater in Indonesia surpasses the global threshold. Effective government management of this resource could significantly enhance sustainable development opportunities
The Citarum River Basin, located in West Java and spanning 11,323 km2, plays a significant role in supplying bulk water to Jakarta and West Java.
It supports irrigation over 420,000 hectares and contributes to energy resilience and flood control through the three cascade reservoirs (Saguling, Cirata, and Jatiluhur).
The river basin faces complex challenges from upstream to downstream. It includes water pollution caused by various waste sources, such as agriculture, industry, domestic, fishery, and sedimentation, with the Metropolitan Bandung generating around 6,000 tons of solid waste per day, critical land in the upstream Citarum River Basin of approximatively 77,000 hectares, and annual flooding in the northern part of West Java and Bandung Regency, covering around 11,750 hectares. Additionally, a lack of education and law enforcement among the population exacerbates these issues.
In response to these challenges, the President of Indonesia has pledged to rehabilitate the Citarum River Basin, starting with improvements and revitalization from upstream to downstream. Furthermore, the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management
(IWRM) through the Citarum Pentahelix concept involves five sectors: academic, community, government, media, river basin organisations, and private sectors.
It holds significant potential to provide solutions based on their respective domains, including knowledge, social, political, communication, and future strategic development. The Citarum Pentahelix concept must be included and the sectors should support each other, to build a fragrant, clean, healthy, and sustainable Citarum.
Dr Imam SANTOSO,
Chairman of the Network of Asian River Basin Organizations (NARBO)