Over 50% of Households in Indonesia Discharge Wastewater into Drains and Rivers

Household waste is waste generated from kitchens, bathrooms, laundry, household industrial waste, and human excreta. The 2020 Indonesian Environmental Statistics Report shows that more than half of Indonesian households, or 57.42%, dispose of wastewater from bathing, washing, and cooking into drains/ditches/rivers.

Furthermore, 18.71% dispose of household waste into ground pits. Another 10.26% of Indonesians dispose of waste into septic tanks.

Next, 1.67% of Indonesians dispose of household waste into infiltration wells. However, only 1.28% dispose of waste through Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) or Wastewater Discharge Channels (WDCs).

The report states that DKI Jakarta has the highest percentage of household waste disposal into drains/ditches/rivers, reaching 79.72%.

Meanwhile, water pollution has very detrimental impacts on the environment and the survival of living beings. These include reducing the amount of oxygen in the water, killing aquatic animals, disrupting soil fertility and plant productivity, and impacting health, causing illnesses ranging from diarrhea to dengue fever.