Citarum Facts

Citarum River originates in Situ Cisanti located at the foot of Mount Wayang, which lies to the south of the city of Bandung, and travels to the north until it empties into the Java Sea.

At about 297 km in length, the Citarum is the longest and largest river in West Java Province. The river plays a critical role in the social and economic life of people in West Java and the capital Jakarta. The river provides water sources for raw water supply, agricultural irrigation, fisheries, hydropower generations to supply electricity in Java and Bali Islands as well as industrial productions.   

Over the last twenty years the environmental condition and water quality along Citarum drainage area have significantly decreased. A rapid urbanization process as a consequence of an ever progressive development goes in line with an industrial expansion, a high population growth, an expansion of public settlement and land conversions for development. A great deal of negative impacts is the accumulative product of the imbalance between robust economic developments and environmental protections.

Almost in every rainy season floods threaten various areas in West Java. The river water pollution due to industrial and agricultural production has hit a dangerous level, threatening public health and livelihoods. The complexity of issues faced by Citarum River Basin presents a challenge to a collective rehabilitation and management effort to make a better Citarum.