Part one of a two-part series examining pollution on the Citarum River. This story was supported by Earth Journalism Network (EJN)

The giant, colourful welcome sign at Cisanti Lake in Kertasari District, Bandung Regency is rather a strange sight amidst the green scenery of pine and eucalyptus trees. Each letter of the alphabet is painted a striking colour: pink, green, yellow, orange and light blue. 

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Adi Renaldi

Adi Renaldi is a Jakarta-based freelance journalist. His bylines have appeared in NPR, Mongabay, Coconuts Jakarta, Asia Democracy Network, and others. Previously he was a staff writer at VICE Indonesia for four years.

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Iqbal Kusumadirezza

Iqbal Kusumadirezza is a former Jakarta Globe photojournalist and now freelance contributor to EPA (European Pressphoto Agency), based in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.