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)