{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1378266,
        "msgid": "city-urged-to-lower-water-tariffs-1447893297",
        "date": "1998-06-09 00:00:00",
        "title": "City urged to lower water tariffs",
        "author": null,
        "source": "JP",
        "tags": null,
        "topic": null,
        "summary": "City urged to lower water tariffs JAKARTA (JP): Following widespread public complaints over the city's water tariff hike, city council speaker Edy Waluyo urged the administration yesterday to follow through with its promise to lower tap water prices soon.",
        "content": "<p>City urged to lower water tariffs<\/p>\n<p>JAKARTA (JP): Following widespread public complaints over the<br>\ncity's water tariff hike, city council speaker Edy Waluyo urged<br>\nthe administration yesterday to follow through with its promise<br>\nto lower tap water prices soon.<\/p>\n<p>Edy said the administration had no reason to repeatedly<br>\npostpone its plan to lower water tariffs since the city-owned<br>\nwater management company, PDAM Jaya, had already settled its<br>\ndispute with two private companies it had previously cooperated<br>\nwith.<\/p>\n<p>\"People are now waiting for lower tariffs as the<br>\nadministration promised,\" he said.<\/p>\n<p>Last month, the deputy governor for development affairs,<br>\nBudiardjo Soekmadi, promised the council the city government<br>\nwould lower water prices \"as soon as possible\".<\/p>\n<p>Budiardjo made the remarks after announcing the cancellation<br>\nof a water management cooperation between PDAM and two private<br>\ncompanies: PT Garuda Dipta Semesta (GDS), a subsidiary company<br>\nowned by tycoon Soedono Salim, and PT Kekar-Thames Airindo<br>\n(Kati), owned by former president Soeharto's eldest son Sigit<br>\nHardjojudanto.<\/p>\n<p>Under the cooperation with these two companies, PDAM had<br>\nannounced a 25 percent average increase in tariffs from April 1.<br>\nThe new tariffs mostly affected affluent customers, who must now<br>\npay up to 65.71 percent more in their water bills.<\/p>\n<p>However, the administration last month decided to end the<br>\ncooperation and set up a new deal with two foreign partners,<br>\nFrench firm Lyonnaise des Eaux and British firm Thames Water<br>\nInternational.<\/p>\n<p>PDAM's promise to lower its water tariffs following the new<br>\nagreement has yet to make Jakartans happy.<\/p>\n<p>Most people are upset that their bills this month more than<br>\ndoubled those of previous months.<\/p>\n<p>\"The city administration still enjoys lying to the public.<br>\nWhat are they thinking raising the water tariff during such times<br>\nof economic crisis?\" said a housewife.<\/p>\n<p>Governor Sutiyoso refused to comment on the issue.<\/p>\n<p>\"No, no, no. I don't have anything to say at the moment,\" he<br>\ntold journalists yesterday evening.<\/p>\n<p>According to Edy, the administration might be \"still figuring<br>\nout new tariffs that would be acceptable to the public\".<br>\n(bsr\/ind)<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/city-urged-to-lower-water-tariffs-1447893297",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}