Enviro News Asia, Depok – The Ciliwung Festival 2025, held on Sunday (August 10, 2025), featured various activities aimed at saving the Ciliwung River, which stretches 120 kilometers from the slopes of Mount Gede Pangrango, flowing through Jakarta and emptying into the northern coast of the city.
The festival, which brought together 1,100 participants from various backgrounds, took place from the Sahabat Ciliwung Dock in Beji, Depok City, to SMPN 34 Depok.
The event began with the groundbreaking of the Ciliwung Blue Gate, symbolizing the revitalization of the river area, followed by the launch of 25 inflatable boats for a 3.6-kilometer educational rafting trip, and the release of native Ciliwung fish to help restore the aquatic ecosystem.
At the final location, participants planted trees around SMPN 34 Depok and handed over conservation facilities, including inflatable boats for schools, a boat house for community groups, and “Blue Module” units—innovative, community-based clean water management systems.
Deputy for Pollution and Environmental Damage Control at the Ministry of Environment, Rasio Ridho Sani, in his opening speech for the festival, emphasized that water is the source of life and maintaining water quality is a shared responsibility.
He noted that data shows approximately 87.09% of Ciliwung River pollution comes from domestic waste, followed by livestock waste at 4.91%, garbage at 4.58%, industrial waste at 3.37%, and agricultural waste at 0.05%.
“Managing domestic waste is key to saving and restoring the Ciliwung River ecosystem. Success can only be achieved if all parties work together,” said Rasio Ridho Sani, representing Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq.
The Ciliwung Festival 2025 also marks the launch of the Ciliwung River Basin Water Quality Protection and Management Plan (RPPMA), established in 2025.
This is the first such plan in Indonesia since the issuance of Government Regulation No. 22/2021 on Environmental Protection and Management.
The regulation serves as a guideline for pollution control actions, including defining the roles of central and regional governments, the private sector, academia, communities, and the public.
Full support for the event was provided by PT Pertamina (Persero) and PT Perusahaan Gas Negara Tbk (PGN).
In addition to being main supporting partners, Pertamina and PGN actively participated in providing conservation facilities, educational programs, and community-based initiatives.
Agung Wicaksono, Director of Business Transformation and Sustainability at PT Pertamina (Persero), stated, “Pertamina has a strong commitment to preserving the environment, including river ecosystems and their watersheds.”
Rahmat Hutama, Director of Human Resources and Business Support at PT Perusahaan Gas Negara Tbk, explained that the Ciliwung Festival 2025 is part of PGN’s corporate social and environmental responsibility program, the Gerakan Membangun Bersih Indah Lestari Rahayu Ciliwung (Ciliwung Blue Gate Initiative).
“This program aims to transform the Ciliwung River into a creative space for surrounding communities while maintaining a sustainable environmental ecosystem. We have been carrying out this initiative since 2024,” Rahmat said. (*)
