Coastal villagers finally start to enjoy clean water
Coastal villagers finally start to enjoy clean water
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Thousands of poor villagers in three coastal districts in
Tangerang regency can at last enjoy clean water from public
faucets.
They are also able to save some of the money they were
previously forking out daily -- to quench their thirst, to wash
and to bathe -- as water is now a fraction of the price.
The villagers in Teluk Naga, Pakuhaji and Kresek districts
were given access to clean water after the regency environmental
agency (DLH) built a water reservoir and installed 18 public
water faucets.
"The water faucets are located in seven villages in the three
districts and can supply water to more than 20,000 villagers,"
said the head of the agency, Deden Sugandi, on Monday.
The construction project, which commenced in 2000, is part of
a project initiated by the Ministry of Resettlement and Regional
Infrastructure. The ministry allocated Rp 1.44 billion
(US$169,412) from the state budget to serve the needs of the
villagers.
"We used to buy a jerry can of clean water for Rp 750 from
vendors. With the water faucets, we only have to spend Rp 200 per
jerry can," said Warsidin, a resident of Tanjung Burung village
in Teluk Naga district.
The public water faucets are operated 24-hours by the
Keswadayaan Masyarakat, a local organization comprising of noted
figures in the area.
The money collected from the villagers is paid to the regency-
owned Tirta Kerta Raharja tap water company (PDAM) that supplies
the water from Bojong Renged river.
The project officer, Beta Iriawan, said that villagers in
coastal areas had been suffering from water shortages for 10
years.
"This program is aimed at helping poor residents get clean
water. Regent Ismet Iskandar said earlier that people living in
coastal areas would enjoy clean water this year," he said.
Beta claimed that a survey conducted by the ministry shows
that the project is the best of its kind in the country.
"We plan to install more water pipelines and water faucets, as
far as Mauk and Kronjo districts, to enable 15,000 residents in
both areas to enjoy clean water next year," he said.