Ambon, Dutch firms join to operate water plant

Ambon, Dutch firms join to operate water plant

JAKARTA (JP): PT PDAM Ambon, a drinking water company owned by
the Maluku provincial administration and NV Waterleiding
Maatschappij Drenthe of the Netherlands, will establish a joint
venture to improve the drinking water supply in the province.

Waterleiding's president K.J. Hoogsteen said last week that
the joint venture would begin to operate early next year.

Hoogsteen told Antara the joint venture would operate to
improve the Ambon Drinking Water Company's network, which he said
had suffered a serious level of water leakage.

Director of the Ambon company Chris Pattinaja said the leakage
in Ambon reached 34 percent due to the poor condition of the
water pipelines in the town.

"Most of the pipelines were installed during the Dutch era and
have been largely vandalized," said Chris.

PT PDAM Ambon now produces 211 liters per second and 150
liters per second during the rainy season.

Hoogsteen did not reveal the amount of investment allocated by
the Dutch company for the project.

He said officials of the Ambon drinking company would receive
training in the Netherlands, while the Dutch company would soon
send its engineers to Ambon to start the project. (jsk)