DLH Forms Team To Search The Wal OKU River Allegedly Polluted With Waste Conduct Lab Tests

The joint team from DLH OKU investigated the cause of the Wal River water allegedly being polluted by coal mining waste, Tuesday (29/7/2025). ANTARA/Edo Purmana

JAKARTA - The Environment Agency (DLH) of Ogan Komering Ulu Regency (OKU), South Sumatra (Sumsel) formed a team to trace the flow of the Wal River which is suspected of being polluted by PT Abadi Ogan Cemerlang (AOC) waste for the purposes of laboratory testing.

Head of the Environmental Planning Division of DLH OKU Febrianto Kuncoro said his party formed two teams to trace the Wal River in the local area to take samples of river water suspected of being contaminated with waste for laboratory tests.

"This sampling is the second time to ensure that river water is not polluted by waste due to PT AOC's coal mining activities, as residents complain about," he said in Baturaja, Tuesday, July 29, which was confiscated by Antara.

In this activity, he continued, the first team traced the flow of the Lempaung and Muara Sungai Wal rivers from Gunung Kuripan Village, Pengandonan District, while the second team traced the flow of the Wal River from Gunung Meraksa Village, Lubuk Batang District to take samples of river water for laboratory tests.

Sample tests to ensure that polluted river water does come from PT AOC's coal mining activities operating in the area.

This activity is an important first step in preserving the environment and following up on residents' concerns about river conditions that are the source of life for the surrounding community.

"We will convey the results of today's search by the team together with the company to the residents. We are also still waiting for the results of previous laboratory tests as the basis for valid information," he said.

PT AOC Site Manager Muhammad said that river water samples were taken for laboratory tests to determine the exact cause of river water being contaminated with waste.

"We are doing this together with DLH OKU as part of the company's commitment to preserving the surrounding environment," he said.

Previously, dozens of residents from seven villages, including Merbau, Sumber Bahagia, Gunung Meraksa, Bandar Agung, Tanjung Manggus, Lunggaian, and Air Wall protested at the PT AOC mine site in Gunung Kuripan Village because their living rights were threatened by the river water pollution.

"It's been the last five months that the river water has been cloudy, even the past two months it's getting worse. This is no longer a matter of the environment, but concerns our survival," said Devi Arista, a resident of Bandar Agung Village.

He said people have been using Wal River water to bathe, wash, and even cook their daily needs.

"I have lived in Bandar Agung Village since I was born. There has never been this dirty river water. We hope that the government will intervene so that people will not be harmed," he said.