THIS CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING! Purification of the world's most toxic river

The Satoru River in Indonesia: A Story of Pollution and Renewal

Introduction: The Importance of Rivers

Rivers are a vital source of life and prosperity for human beings. Throughout history, people have relied on rivers for transportation, irrigation, and drinking water. However, the rapid pace of industrialization and urbanization has led to the emergence of waterways that bring disease and death. One of the most toxic and dangerous rivers today is the Satoru River in Indonesia.

Part 1: The Satoru River Today

The Satoru River is the longest and largest river in West Java, Indonesia, with a length of about 270 kilometers. It flows through thousands of settlements on the island, connecting the villages and residents of Indonesia's most populous province. More than 25 million people live in the Satoru River basin.

However, the Green Cross Switzerland and the Pure Earth Blacksmith Institute list Satoru as one of the 10 most polluted places in the world. The river's waters are literally suffocated by household waste and chemicals from hundreds of industries thrown into the water. Mountains of dirt and waste piled up on the banks of the river, and people are forced to live among them.

According to the Asian Development Bank, in 2013, about 9 million people lived in close contact with the river, where levels of fecal coliform bacteria were more than five thousand times the mandatory limits. As a result, people suffer from a host of illnesses, such as dermatitis, rashes, intestinal problems, kidney failure, chronic bronchitis, and tumors. Most local residents have to use polluted water directly from the river to bathe, wash clothes, as well as for drinking and cooking.

Former fishermen do not make a living from the catch but from the trash they fished out of the Satoru, exposing themselves to infectious diseases and poisoning. At the same time, the income of these garbage collectors barely reaches one to two pounds per week.

Part 2: The Causes of Pollution

In the 1970s, more than 800 textile factories were established in the areas where the Satoru flows, for which the locality has received the dollar city nickname. Access to cheap and plentiful water has been the key to the rapid growth of the entire region, as processes such as bleaching and dyeing textiles consume large amounts of water. According to the latest data, about 2800 factories currently use Satoru as a source of water. Most of the factories located here still produce textiles, and some of them are important links in the supply chains of global fashion brands such as Zara, Gap, Adidas, and H&M.

Environmentalists point out that more than twenty thousand tons of waste and three hundred and forty thousand tons of sewage from these textile factories are dumped into the river every day. One of the results of such pollution was the death of a significant part of the river fish population, estimated at 60% since 2008.

At the same time, the drains of textile factories are checked for a very limited number of parameters. Tests conducted in May 2012 at the plant located in Chimaji showed that the wastewater from one of the plant's outlet pipes has a pH of 14, the highest possible level of alkalinity that can burn human flesh.

Part 3: Efforts to Clean Up the River

The Consequences of Pollution on the Satorum River

The Satorum River, located in West Java, Indonesia, is the longest and largest river in the province, spanning approximately 270 kilometers. It flows through thousands of settlements on the island and is home to over 25 million people. However, the river has been named as one of the 10 most polluted places in the world by the Green Cross Switzerland and the Pure Earth Blacksmith Institute. The Satorum River's waters are contaminated by household waste and chemicals from hundreds of industries, which have caused a range of health problems for those living in close contact with the river.

Industrial Pollution in the Satorum River

Since the 1970s, over 800 textile factories have been established in the areas where the Satorum flows. Access to cheap and plentiful water has been the key to the rapid growth of the entire region, as textile production processes, such as bleaching and dyeing, consume large amounts of water. Currently, around 2,800 factories use the Satorum as a source of water, with most of them still producing textiles. Some of these factories are important links in the supply chains of global fashion brands such as Zara, Gap, Adidas, and H&M.

Environmentalists have pointed out that more than 20,000 tons of waste and 340,000 tons of sewage from these textile factories are dumped into the river every day. One of the results of such pollution was the death of a significant part of the river fish population, which has been estimated at 60% since 2008. At the same time, the drains of textile factories are checked for a very limited number of parameters, with tests conducted in May 2012 at the plant located in Chimaji showing that the wastewater from one of the plant's outlet pipes has a pH of 14 - the highest possible level of alkalinity that can burn human flesh.

Consequences of the Satorum River's Pollution

The situation is complicated by the specific attitude toward the river of residents who do not have a culture of water conservation. Unfortunately, people treat the river as a dumping ground for excrement and household waste. Another serious problem is corruption, as inspectors can be paid to look the other way. So far, only 14 companies have been subject to administrative or criminal sanctions for polluting the Satorum. The Indonesian government, meanwhile, blames the vast majority of the region's residents who dump their household rubbish and pour untreated sewage into the river for pollution. However, in many small villages along the Satorum, there is no public garbage collection or landfill, so people have to choose between burning the waste or simply throwing it into the water.

Health Consequences

According to the Asian Development Bank, in 2013, about 9 million people lived in close contact with the Satorum River where levels of fecal coliform bacteria are more than five thousand times the mandatory limits. Now, people suffer from a host of illnesses such as dermatitis, rashes, intestinal problems, kidney failure, chronic bronchitis, and tumors. Most local residents have to use polluted water directly from the river to bathe, wash clothes, as well as for drinking and cooking. Former fishermen do not make a living from the catch but from the trash they fished out of the Satorum, exposing themselves to infectious diseases and poisoning. At the same time, the income of these garbage collectors barely reaches one to two pounds per week.

Efforts to Combat Pollution

The Asian Development Bank began to allocate money to combat the pollution of the river in 2008, with its total investment estimated at half a billion dollars. Most of it was spent on the construction of retention ponds, reforestation of upstream hill country, and

The Satorum River Revitalization Program

The Indonesian government has launched a seven-year program called the Satorum Harem project to revitalize the river and make its water drinkable by 2025. The task is daunting, but it has significant support. The purification of the Satorum River will take seven years and will cost four billion dollars, which the government plans to raise from private and public sources.

The government has sent seven thousand military police and numerous volunteers to purify the river. A broad information campaign was held for residents, explaining how the discharge of garbage into the river affects the ecology of the entire planet. Efforts have begun to modernize existing systems for collecting garbage and sorting waste in cities, and most importantly, a department was created to control the discharge of waste into the river. Video surveillance cameras were installed on the coast, and fines for polluting the river were tightened. Compliance with the new rules is monitored by special teams.

The level of pollution was initially such that one of the local communities that was actively involved in the program began to sell 250 tons of plastic per month for recycling. But not everything goes smoothly with the purification of Satorum. There are problems, first of all, the lack of money for further actions and the lack of coordination at the local level, as well as the bribes that factories pay to avoid changes.

The problem of soil erosion upstream due to the destruction of forests increases the silting of the lower river. The situation with the purification of the banks and waters of Satorum is further complicated by the fact that some factories still violate the ban by dumping toxic waste at night. It's about 20 percent of operating enterprises. At a time when some of the local residents help the authorities to identify violators, the others, when there are no patrols nearby, continue to throw garbage into the river.

But the situation, albeit slowly, is gradually changing for the better. Factories that violate environmental laws are closed, and illegal settlements that dumped solid waste, detergents, and feces into the river and its tributaries are relocated. It's known that 43 companies that violated the law were fined. The office of the attorney general of the Republic of Indonesia said seven of them paid fines ranging from 1.3 to 13 million.

The Future of the Satorum River

The quality of the water in the river has exceeded the target set for early 2020. Currently, the pollution level is 40.67, which corresponds to moderate pollution. Although the river has now been purified outwardly, the chemical composition of the water is still far from satisfactory. The country's authorities will need at least a few more years and significant capital investments for the Satorum to become a safe river again.

However, there are already places where the water is safe enough for swimming. Over the past two years, local farmers have managed to harvest six rice crops, and the garbage collectors who once hunted for plastic cups and bottles are becoming fishermen again.

Nonetheless, for the first time in a long time, residents were able to breathe normally in their homes as the river previously exuded only a terrible odor from which there was nowhere to hide. 20 to 25 million people live in the Satorum River basin. Its complete purification can radically change the lives of all these people, and improving the lives of so many people will irreversibly lead to a global improvement in life on the entire planet.

Conclusion

The Satorum River is a tragic example of how human activity can cause environmental destruction and endanger human life. For decades, the river has been one of the most polluted places on earth, suffocated by household waste and chemicals from hundreds of factories. The situation has caused countless illnesses and deaths,