Citarum River, Indonesia 芝塔龍河（印度尼西亞）

Citarum River, Indonesia [File photo]

Pollutant: Numerous chemicals including lead, cadmium, chromium and pesticides

Population affected: 500,000+ people directly, up to 5 million people indirectly

Site description:

There are at least 9 million people living in the Citarum River basin, covering about 13,000 square kilometers. The local residents and over 2,000 factories located on the banks of the river dump large amounts of industrial and household waste directly into the river. The metal pollutant in the river has been found exceeding the international security standard, including lead, cadmium, chromium, arsenic and mercury. The water in the river is used for irrigation, drinking, bathing and washing.