Rain Adds 3.6 Tonnes of Waste Daily to Denpasar Waterways

Denpasar — Rain in recent days has added an estimated 3.6 tonnes of waste a day to rivers and drainage channels across Denpasar, according to the city’s Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency on Oct. 28, 2026.

The agency said newly accumulated waste had been detected at several points along waterways and drainage channels as increased water flows carried rubbish downstream. The estimate was presented by Ketut Ngurah Artha Jaya, head of the agency’s Water Resources Division.

The reported increase is an estimate rather than a final measured total. The agency said accurate figures still required further field data collection and cleanup. It also attributed the buildup in part to continued littering, including the disposal of rubbish in rivers.

Blocked channels raise the risk of flooding in Denpasar

For residents and visitors, the immediate concern is not only the additional waste itself but the effect of blockages on water flow. Waste accumulating in rivers and drainage channels can restrict runoff and increase the risk of standing water when rainfall intensifies. The agency has been clearing locations affected by accumulated waste and obstructions to keep water moving and reduce the potential for inundation.

Earlier figures cited by the agency put Denpasar’s river-waste volume at 30.6 tonnes a day, up from 26.4 tonnes a day before the city introduced waste-sorting measures. The new estimate concerns additional waste associated with the recent rain and does not replace those earlier baseline figures.

The agency said its Water Resources Division would continue monitoring, cleaning and handling rivers and drainage channels, particularly at locations considered vulnerable to further accumulation. The reports did not state a completion date for that work.

Sources

• Bali Post — Balinese news outlet
• NusaBali — Balinese news outlet
• bali.tribunnews.com
• balitribune.co.id