Bekasi facing severe water pollution problem

Bekasi facing severe water pollution problem

BEKASI (JP): More than 4,000 families in the Sukatani district in Bekasi, some 30 kilometers east of Jakarta, have complained to the regency about the poor quality of tap water supplied by state-owned water company, PDAM.

They said yesterday that the tap water has become yellowish and full of foam in the last 12 months. They claim that the industrial waste dumped into the rivers is polluting the river water, groundwater and the tap water in the area.

The regency spokesman, Atang Sudjana, said yesterday his office could not comment on the alleged pollution pending investigation.

The families who live in Sukadarma, Sukamanah, Sukamulya and Karang Sentosa villages in the district said the groundwater quality has been deteriorating. They also said they could no longer use water from Cikarang, which is severely polluted.

Residents say local factories have been dumping their waste into at least five rivers -- the Cikarang, Ciherang, Sadang, Bekasi and Pengasinan rivers -- for years.

About two years ago, two local children died from falling into the severely polluted Sadang river.

The regency has recommended that industrial waste be dumped into the Cikarang river in Bekasi Laut, the Ciherang river in the Tambun district and the Sadang river in the district of Cibitung.

Sukatani District Chief Hasbullah confirmed the river pollution complaints. He said four letters of complaint had been sent to the regency, but that no response had been received by the residents.

The Bekasi Legislative Council chief, Abdul Manan, said recently that thorough investigations are needed to find out if the area has been polluted.

"Strict measures will be taken against the companies if they are found guilty of polluting the rivers," Manan said.

The head of the Bekasi environment office declined to comment on the river water pollution. (12/sur)