Council rejects hike in water fees

Council rejects hike in water fees

JAKARTA (JP): A city council commission rejected on Wednesday
a proposed 6 percent to 43 percent hike in tap water fees, saying
many residents were still disappointed with the city's water
service.

The secretary of Commission C for economic affairs, Aziz
Boeang, said: "The city water companies have yet to provide
Jakartans with good quality water and service."

The proposition will be further discussed by the council next
month.

Speaking after a council plenary session on the proposed 2000-
2001 budget, Aziz said most of the pipes used in the city's water
network were inadequate, resulting in brackish water and
irregular distribution.

Governor Sutiyoso announced the proposal on Tuesday, saying
the increase, first suggested three years ago, was needed to
overcome the deficit water companies were running as a result of
rising operating costs.

Sutiyoso said city water company PT PAM Jaya had suffered
losses totaling Rp 300 billion since 1997.

Another councillor, Tjuk Sudono of the National Mandate Party
(PAN), also rejected an across-the-board hike in tap water rates,
saying the people's purchasing power had yet to recover from the
crisis.

"It is better to only increase the fees for affluent families
and commercial customers such as luxury apartments and large
businesses," said the member of the commission for developmental
affairs.

Indah Suksmaningsih from the Indonesian Consumers Foundation
said: "I have not seen any improvements in (water companies)
service or water quality."

She also said the city water companies were required to
provide the community with not only clean water, but potable
water.

To overcome rising operating costs, Tjuk said water companies
should place a limit on the amount of water allotted for
customers, with a penalty for those violating the limit.

"We must educate our community to consume water based on their
needs. We can study (the payment system) for electricity bills,
which puts a limit on customers," Tjuk said, referring to bills
issued by state-run electricity firm PT PLN.

Nurain, a resident of Rawa Badak subdistrict in North Jakarta,
said tap water in her area was brackish and had to be filtered
before being used for drinking, cooking, laundry or bathing.

"Some of my neighbors also complain the water supply only
lasts from about 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. every day. At night, they have
to collect about two drums of water and then filter it," Nurain
said.

Susi of Kebon Nenas subdistrict in East Jakarta said she paid
Rp 50,000 a month for her water service, but the water was always
brackish and often was only available at night. She said her
family often had to use a pump to get groundwater, but this also
was rather sour in taste.

Indarto from Kalibata subdistrict in South Jakarta said he
could detect the smell of chlorine in the brackish tap water at
his house, and he only used the water for laundry and bathing.

"I have to order about four gallons of (mineral water) every
month for (cooking and drinking). I also often find some drops of
foam in the groundwater," added Indarto.

Danof Daniel from Kebon Jeruk in West Jakarta said he had not
received a water bill since June. "I disapprove of the plan to
increase the tap water rates if the service continues this way."

However, he said he was totally dependent on the tap water
because he could not get groundwater in the dry season.

Sadio of Pondok Kelapa in East Jakarta said a number of times
he found his water meter showed different levels of consumption
compared to the bill he received from PT Thames Pam Jaya. (07)