Dewi Retna Indrawati

River water pollution is a significant environmental problem in Indonesia. On the other hand, river water is an important source of drinking water. Therefore, clean and safe water has become a priority program of the Government and is parallel with the international agreement known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Rapid population growth and industrialization cause inadequate access to safe water; only 73% of Indonesian people can access safe water. This review paper aims to present a comprehensive discussion concerning water pollution in four big rivers, i.e., Siak, Citarum, Bengawan Solo, and Brantas Rivers, that have experienced pollution and provide alternative solutions to mitigate the pollution. Data were collected from related institutions, governments’ regulations, the authors’ experiences, and literature studies. Developing a riparian zone with multiple ecological services and introducing Internet of Things (IoT) devices that monitor and provide real-time water quality information is essential for mitigating river water pollution. Law enforcement is an alternative method to reduce point-source pollutants from industries. Non-point source pollutants from domestic and agricultural wastes may be reduced through spreading awareness and implementing personal and environmental hygiene, involving the community in designing, as well as monitoring and evaluating water quality. Those approaches should be accompanied by proper institutions, regulations, and policies.

Indonesian watershed management continues to struggle with various problems caused by natural disasters, particularly hydrometeorological disasters, which are worsened by the effects of climate change. Coordinating and synchronizing the interest of many parties in watershed management with various scenarios of natural conditions is a big challenge in the creation of a healthy and productive watershed. Multiple initiatives have been undertaken, from establishing rules and policies to implementing them and assessing the effects, leading to various lessons being learned for better management. This article presents a study on watershed management in Indonesia and recommends alternative improvements toward healthy and productive watershed management. A combination of a descriptive qualitative analysis of the authors’ experience in various research activities and a critical analysis is used to examine existing conditions and to formulate recommendations for better sustainable management toward a healthy and productive watershed. Most Indonesian watersheds are susceptible to degradation due to numerous threats. The challenges in Indonesian watershed management, including land degradation and climate-induced disasters, lack of synchronization and coordination, limited resources, and anthropogenic factors, have led to decreased watershed health and productivity and hindered effective management. Integrated management, especially at the micro-watershed level, addresses these challenges. Successful integrated watershed management requires community involvement, appropriate management action for specific locations, technological support, regulatory alignment, and stakeholder collaboration to ensure a healthy, productive, and sustainable watershed for present and future generations.

Indonesia is an archipelago with significant variations in natural resources, infrastructure, socioeconomic, culture, human resource capacity, accessibility, and access to financial and technical assistance. In this situation, integrated and unique efforts are needed to manage natural resources and build synergy between their protection and utilization to achieve water, energy, and food (WEF) security in accordance with the SDG targets. This paper analyzes the implementations of the WEF nexus in rural Indonesia by examining existing legal frameworks and other related policies, journals, textbooks, and publications. We explore factors influencing the success and failure of the implementation of the WEF nexus approaches from technical, socioeconomic, cultural, political, and institutional perspectives of the rural development framework.