SNOW SEASON IN EAST JAVA

Tambak Wedi River which is located in North Surabaya (East Java-Second largest city in Indonesia) every day is covered by foam, from afar it looks like snow. 

Sailing rolled up in foam over the tambak wedi river (Surabaya)

"White foam like snow comes from household waste water in the area of North Surabaya which contains detergent pumped into the river, this aeration forms foam that flows into the Madura Strait" Said Faisal Mujiono activis of Students of Nature Lovers, Muhammadiyah University of Surabaya (Mupalas). Community of Reject Single Use plastic (KTP), Mupalas and Ecoton conducted water research in Tambak Wedi River, Surabaya on Thursday afternoon (18/3). These communities found that the water in the river had been contaminated with detergent. The Detergent can contain suspected carcinogens and ingredients that do not fully biodegrade. 

"The phosphate concentration is 45 ppm, while the Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) reaches 5012 ppm, whereas for river water quality standards the TDS parameter must be less than 1500 ppm and the phosphate concentration should not be more than 5 ppm," said Miftakhul Rohmah, a KTP researcher. The effect of phosphate will inhibit the breakdown of organic matter in the waters, causing eutrophication or fertilization of the waters resulting in an explosion in the algae population which will reduce dissolved oxygen, consequently can cause the death of aquatic biota and fish. The foam that arises on the surface also blocks the penetration of the sun into the water column, thus inhibiting photosynthesis and disrupting the mobility of aquatic biota,causes the pH of the water to become alkaline and can endanger the life of aquatic biota.

The results of research at three locations in the Tambak Wedi river showed pH levels reached 8.7, TDS reached 5012, Ammonium 5 ppm, Electro Conductivity 2476 ppm and chlorine 0.3 ppm "These findings indicate the poor quality of water from Tambakwedi river, there must be control of household waste pollution, because if we don't do this, we will wait for the time to see the death of the Wedi pond river ecosystem," said Mifta.  The ways to remove snow from the Tambak Wedi river are to control the use of detergents in personal care, the industry must redisgn the product and the responsibility of the Surabaya city government to control and manage wastewater from households.