Surjadi asks people to conserve water<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja reiterated yesterday
\nthe importance of saving water during the current dry season,
\nurging middle and upper-class people to pay attention to his
\ncall.<\/p>\n
He said in City Hall that Jakartans should prepare for the
\nmost unexpected circumstances of this year's long, dry spell.<\/p>\n
\"Use water as efficiently as possible. If people, mainly those
\nin the middle and upper-class, usually wash their cars three
\ntimes a day, once should be enough for now,\" Surjadi said with a
\nsmile.<\/p>\n
He said it was necessary for people to reduce water usage in
\nunnecessary activities due to the limited capability of city-
\nowned water company PAM Jaya to supply an ample amount of water.<\/p>\n
\"Even if the existing water supply is used under normal
\ncircumstances, the city is still projected to face water
\nshortages,\" Surjadi said.<\/p>\n
He made the remarks following reports of areas throughout the
\ncity having water-shortage problems.<\/p>\n
\"I've ordered the city's five mayors to provide water to
\npeople who face water problems,\" Surjadi said.<\/p>\n
The mayors were also asked to identify the areas which would
\nlikely be hardest hit by the scarcity of water, he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, head of the City Mining Agency, Arifin Akbar, said
\nyesterday that the city would intensify fee collection from
\nowners of artesian wells, who consume more than 50 cubic meters
\nof water a month.<\/p>\n
\"The stricter collection of fees is intended mainly to help
\npeople use water more efficiently,\" Arifin said.<\/p>\n
According to city regulation No. 2\/1994, each artesian well
\nowner has to pay Rp 1,000 (38 U.S. cents) per cubic meter of
\nwater used, if between 50 and 1,000 cubic meters is used per
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
The city, however, could not strictly implement fee collection
\ndue to the lack of supervision.<\/p>\n
\"We'll make a study on the use of artesian wells throughout
\nthe city soon,\" Akbar said, adding that it would be done in
\nstages.<\/p>\n
\"If people don't use their artesian wells much, they won't
\nhave to pay the fees,\" Akbar said.<\/p>\n
Last month, some areas started facing water problems. Among
\nthose hardest hit were Kedoya and Cengkareng in West Jakarta;
\nPasar Minggu, Kebayoran Baru and Pakubuwono in South Jakarta; and
\nTanjung Priok in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Some wells in the city have also dried up.<\/p>\n
Critics have warned the administration on the change of city
\nplanning, where areas initially allocated for water catchment or
\npublic parks, were changed into public facilities or other
\nplaces, such as offices and gas stations. (ste)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/surjadi-asks-people-to-conserve-water-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}