City urged to lower water tariffs

JAKARTA (JP): Following widespread public complaints over the city's water tariff hike, city council speaker Edy Waluyo urged the administration yesterday to follow through with its promise to lower tap water prices soon.

Edy said the administration had no reason to repeatedly postpone its plan to lower water tariffs since the city-owned water management company, PDAM Jaya, had already settled its dispute with two private companies it had previously cooperated with.

"People are now waiting for lower tariffs as the administration promised," he said.

Last month, the deputy governor for development affairs, Budiardjo Soekmadi, promised the council the city government would lower water prices "as soon as possible".

Budiardjo made the remarks after announcing the cancellation of a water management cooperation between PDAM and two private companies: PT Garuda Dipta Semesta (GDS), a subsidiary company owned by tycoon Soedono Salim, and PT Kekar-Thames Airindo (Kati), owned by former president Soeharto's eldest son Sigit Hardjojudanto.

Under the cooperation with these two companies, PDAM had announced a 25 percent average increase in tariffs from April 1. The new tariffs mostly affected affluent customers, who must now pay up to 65.71 percent more in their water bills.

However, the administration last month decided to end the cooperation and set up a new deal with two foreign partners, French firm Lyonnaise des Eaux and British firm Thames Water International.

PDAM's promise to lower its water tariffs following the new agreement has yet to make Jakartans happy.

Most people are upset that their bills this month more than doubled those of previous months.

"The city administration still enjoys lying to the public. What are they thinking raising the water tariff during such times of economic crisis?" said a housewife.

Governor Sutiyoso refused to comment on the issue.

"No, no, no. I don't have anything to say at the moment," he told journalists yesterday evening.

According to Edy, the administration might be "still figuring out new tariffs that would be acceptable to the public". (bsr/ind)