By Nasywa Alwia
Students of English Literature, Faculty of Letters, UPBI
The Siak River, once the pride of the people of Riau, is now a painful reflection of our environmental neglect. Its waters have turned murky, filled with plastic waste and household garbage. What used to be a lifeline for the community has become a dumping ground. This is no longer just an issue of cleanliness; it shows how far we have drifted from respecting nature.
According to the Pekanbaru Environmental and Sanitation Agency (DLHK, 2024), about 60 percent of the pollution in the Siak River comes from household waste, while the rest comes from trade and small industries. The data is alarming because it proves that river pollution is not only caused by factories but also by our daily behavior. Every piece of plastic, detergent, or food waste that ends up in the river is part of a bigger problem, our careless lifestyle.
A study by the University of Riau in 2024 found that Siak River water now contains an average of 0.31 microplastic particles per liter. This pollution does not stay in the water. It enters fish and eventually our bodies. In other words, we are consuming the waste we created ourselves.
Residents living near the river report an even more disturbing reality. Some said the water smells like fuel, which suggests the presence of liquid waste or fuel leakage from boats and riverside markets. This indicates weak monitoring from authorities and the absence of serious law enforcement against illegal dumping.
Lack of waste facilities and low public awareness have worsened the problem. Many communities still use the river as a place to throw away garbage because waste collection services are not available in their area. Meanwhile, government rules remain weakly enforced.
Environmental groups such as Mapala Humendala have tried to make a difference through clean-up programs and campaigns like “Siak Free from Waste.” The city government also introduced regulations to reduce single-use plastic and started promoting waste banks in several districts. These are positive efforts, but they remain limited and inconsistent.
Despite all these actions, the Siak River shows little improvement. The biggest challenge is not only policy but also people’s behavior. Environmental protection cannot rely on campaigns alone; it requires continuous enforcement and real collaboration between the government, communities, universities, and the private sector.
The Siak River is more than just water. It is a mirror of our ecological awareness. When the river is dirty, it reflects the pollution of our own mindset. Keeping it clean is not the responsibility of the government alone, but a shared moral duty to protect the future of Riau.
If we let this river die, it will not be because the water has dried up, but because our sense of care has disappeared.
Notes: This article has already been published in Indonesian on RiauNews.com.
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