Surakarta (ANTARA) \u2013 A drinking water scheme initiated by the\nCoca-Cola Foundation Indonesia (CCFI) in partnership with PDAM Toyo\nWening has been identified as a solution to reducing the risk of E. coli\ncontamination and supporting efforts to accelerate the reduction of\nstunting in Margorejo, Gilingan sub-district, Surakarta, Central\nJava.<\/p>\n
Bayu Tunggul, Wastewater Manager at PDAM Toyo Wening Surakarta, said\nin Surakarta on Thursday that the quality of shallow-well water commonly\nrelied on by residents in densely populated urban settlements, including\nGilingan, is now largely threatened by high levels of E. coli\ncontamination.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn several parts of Surakarta, it is difficult to access safe\ndrinking water because so many shallow wells are contaminated with E.\ncoli. Gilingan is also a priority area for the Surakarta city\ngovernment\u2019s stunting intervention,\u201d he said at a media gathering\nmarking the inauguration of a community-based waste-management facility\nand the Master Meter system.<\/p>\n
Bayu explained that providing drinking water that meets health\nstandards is crucial to children\u2019s quality of life and to protecting\nyoung children from recurrent infectious diseases that can contribute to\nstunting.<\/p>\n
However, expansion of the regular piped network in densely populated\nareas such as Margorejo has been held back by administrative and legal\nrequirements, as most residents\u2019 homes are adjacent to land owned by\nstate railway company PT KAI.<\/p>\n
Before this innovation was introduced, the local government\u2019s usual\nresponse was limited to providing public hydrants, requiring residents\nto carry water in buckets into their homes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith public hydrants, residents have to collect water in buckets for\nall their daily needs. This does not meet the definition of safe\ndrinking-water access, which should reach inside the home,\u201d Bayu\nadded.<\/p>\n
The Master Meter drinking-water scheme enables the main pipe network\nto distribute water collectively and directly to residents\u2019 homes, with\na subsidised low tariff of Rp2,850 per cubic metre.<\/p>\n
Coca-Cola Foundation Indonesia chairman Triyono Prijosoesilo said the\nwater-infrastructure intervention in areas with poor sanitation was\nfocused on fulfilling people\u2019s basic right to clean water on a\nsustainable basis.<\/p>\n
Fifty households in Margorejo have benefited from the facility over\nthe past year. They now have a reliable supply of clean water for\ncooking and daily consumption, an important foundation for successful\nsanitation and environmental-health programmes.<\/p>\n
Triyono expressed hope that residents would make the best use of the\nwater facility and that it would receive full support from the local\ngovernment. He also said the company, as a government partner, was\ncommitted to expanding its programmes and coverage, particularly those\nrelated to water security in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe support this by providing connections to community groups and\nencouraging those groups to manage the system independently,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/drinking-water-scheme-in-surakarta-reduces-e-coli-and-stunting-risks-1791456913", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }