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“Though every prospect pleases, and only man is vile.” Reginald Heber from "Greenland's Icy Mountains.”

Believe it or not beneath all this filth and pollution lies the Citarum River … the longest and largest waterway in West Java Indonesia. Not exactly the place your average travel guide is likely to show you.

The Citarum is as you can see, heavily polluted by earthling activity … what else? About five million people live in and around the basin of the river and about 2000 industries contaminate the 5020 square miles of the river with lead, mercury, arsenic and an assortment of other toxins. The main culprits are the textile factories in Bandung and Cimahi.

Despite warnings the people, who have no other water source, have continued using the Citarum for bathing and laundry purposes. They do know to boil water for drinking but this doesn’t remove heavy metals and other toxins.





Anyway, in 2008 the Asian development Bank approved a $500 million loan for cleaning up the river. As is usual in these parts, progress has been slow, but some improvement is visible.

The flotillas of garbage and debris are slightly smaller but unfortunately the factories along the banks still spew out their toxic waste and human waste is still expelled into the river as Java has no modern sewer system.

I ask again … when will we ever learn?

You're quite the optimist, asking that question. At times, it seems quite obvious that we may never learn.

Yet, we remain hopeful.

What's the point of living so close to a river if you can't utilize its resources in one form or another? It's not as though the draw is its scenic value. Those poor people ... I realize they probably have no other place to go but if the masses intend to stay put, the government should provide them some sort of water barrel or reservoir to catch fresh rainfall until the river water is potable which will take many years even if the reforms are implemented immediately. Indonesia gets sufficient rainfall to provide a family with enough fresh water to drink and use for cooking & bathing if managed well.

It would be a tiny fix, I know, but every little bit would help.

That filth is a river? I can't even see any water!

AnneBoleyn;1449987 wrote: That filth is a river? I can't even see any water!


Here you go Annie ... Now you can actually see the water & the kids playing in the river.

jones jones;1449991 wrote: Here you go Annie ... Now you can actually see the water & the kids playing in the river.




I would be more horrified except...................last year I was swimming at one of Brooklyn's cleaner beaches. It is private, part of a college. Neighborhood folks as myself are allowed free membership. It really is a lovely spot, for Brooklyn that is.

I was floating on my back, eyes closed, sun on my face. Before I closed my eyes I noticed one of our neighborhood fishing, tourist vessels passing by. When I open my eyes, I found myself floating in garbage, even used condoms. Not as bad as your picture, as the tide got rid of it almost immediately, but UGH! Obviously the vessel illegally dumped it's garbage while passing by.

Whenever I go into Brooklyn waters I always wonder why. Even at it's cleanest the water is always dark.

Your picture is so sad..........those kids must be so desperate for relief from the heat.

AnneBoleyn;1449994 wrote: I would be more horrified except...................last year I was swimming at one of Brooklyn's cleaner beaches. It is private, part of a college. Neighborhood folks as myself are allowed free membership. It really is a lovely spot, for Brooklyn that is.

I was floating on my back, eyes closed, sun on my face. Before I closed my eyes I noticed one of our neighborhood fishing, tourist vessels passing by. When I open my eyes, I found myself floating in garbage, even used condoms. Not as bad as your picture, as the tide got rid of it almost immediately, but UGH! Obviously the vessel illegally dumped it's garbage while passing by.

Whenever I go into Brooklyn waters I always wonder why. Even at it's cleanest the water is always dark.

Your picture is so sad..........those kids must be so desperate for relief from the heat.


I agree Anne...that is a very sad image. As Jj started his thread man is vile and so humans have proven.

The oceans here are dark and scary too.... but I remember my first trip and every trip to the Caribbean; I could not get over how CLEAR and BLUE the waters are!!! Why I could even see my feet once I walked in!

Sigh...so I reckon there is some hope.....