Denpasar crews clear 20 tons of waste from Tukad Badung

Denpasar — Members of Denpasar’s Pasukan Biru Prokasih team under the city’s Public Works and Spatial Planning Office (Dinas Pekerjaan Umum dan Penataan Ruang) have removed around 20 tons of waste from Tukad Badung in West Denpasar using two trucks as part of their routine river cleanup on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026.

The operation took place along Tukad Badung near Jalan Imam Bonjol in Pemecutan Kelod, Denpasar Barat, where waste caught in river nets was collected and transported away from the river channel. According to the city’s explanation, this is part of daily handling of waste along Tukad Badung, aimed at keeping the river flowing smoothly and avoiding blockages that could aggravate flooding when the rainy season begins in October.

Daily river cleanups aim to reduce flood risks

For foreign residents and visitors, the cleanup at Tukad Badung illustrates how closely Denpasar’s waterways are linked to flooding in central commercial areas. Tukad Badung runs through dense urban districts, including the vicinity of Pasar Badung and Kumbasari Market, so accumulated waste can quickly turn heavy rain into disruptive floods affecting shops, hotels and traffic. Regular waste removal by the Pasukan Biru Prokasih team, using trucks to carry away material trapped in nets, is intended to keep channels clear before the wet season intensifies.

The change comes as Denpasar officials report a rising volume of waste entering city rivers following restrictions on sending organic waste to the Suwung landfill, pushing more responsibility onto river management and local handling. Routine cleanups at Tukad Badung are now coupled with broader efforts such as installing modern trash barriers and dredging sediment in critical stretches of the river, underlining that river maintenance is central to the city’s flood prevention strategy.

For foreigners living or staying near central Denpasar, this means river conditions can influence how fast floodwater drains after heavy rain. When river nets, barriers and dredged channels are maintained and waste is regularly removed, overflow at bridges and low-lying streets is less likely, reducing the chance that markets, pedestrian routes and nearby accommodation are cut off. Conversely, when waste accumulates and is not cleared, even short intense storms can cause water to rise quickly at riverbanks.

The Sept. 22 cleanup at Tukad Badung also reflects the workload faced by municipal crews. Around 20 tons of waste collected in just one operation underscores how much rubbish is entering the river system, mainly from upstream settlements and commercial activity. The volume aligns with broader data that daily waste collection from Denpasar’s rivers has climbed into the tens of tons per day across multiple major streams, signalling that river pollution remains a structural issue rather than isolated littering.

Local authorities frame these daily operations as preventive steps ahead of the rainy season, when the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika, BMKG) expects more intense downpours in southern Bali. By keeping river nets clear and transporting waste away with trucks, the city aims to reduce the risk that plastic, organic waste and other debris will form temporary dams at bridges or bends in Tukad Badung, which can cause water to spill into streets and market areas.

Sources do not detail the exact next steps beyond the ongoing routine cleanups, but the broader pattern in recent months has been continued dredging of sediment in Tukad Badung and closer coordination between Denpasar’s public works and environmental offices.

For foreigners, the practical implication is that flood risk in central Denpasar is being actively managed through daily river maintenance; however, the sheer amount of waste entering the river means high rainfall can still produce localized flooding, especially in areas where access to the river for cleanup is limited.

Sources

• NusaBali.com — local Bali news outlet
• detik.com
• dislhk.badungkab.go.id
• kabarbalisatu.com
• balitribune.co.id
• letternews.net