Operations of two water treatment installations in Surakarta, a city in Central Java, Indonesia have been disrupted by liquor waste pollution in the Bengawan Solo River, according to the Jakarta Post.
Waste from the production of a traditional Javanese alcoholic drink ciu polluted the river, resulting in the death of fish and disrupting the supply of clean water.
“We cannot process the water because the waste is too thick. It has a murky color and smells like alcohol. We have had to cease operations, which has disrupted the water supply for residents in the area,” said state tap water company Tirta Wening spokesperson Bayu Tunggul.
The alleged polluter is a factory located next to the Samin Stream, which flows into the Bengawan Solo River. This is the third instance of liquor waste pollution reported in the area.
Tunggul coordinated with the Sukoharjo Environment Agency and the Central Java Environment Agency to solve the contamination issue.
The company could take water from the Samin Stream, as it still had sufficient supply, according to the Jakarta Post.
“There is still enough water at the Gajah Mungkur dam. However, as the water is murky, processing it will take time,” Tunggul said.
The Sukoharjo Pollution Management and Environmental Damage Agency confirmed that the liquor waste indeed originated from the Samin Stream.
There are plans to build an IPAL in Polokarto to capture waste from liquor producers, but it is in its early stages because the land desired for use is in a green zone, reported the Jakarta Post.
