Customers complain about water rate hike
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Water utility customers in Tangerang regency are irate over skyrocketing bills that are at least 300 percent higher than the bills they received in December.
Sukiyatno, who lives in Kebon Besar subdistrict, Batu Ceper district, told The Jakarta Post on Friday that he was shocked to see his water bill this month.
"I used to pay Rp 49,000 (US$5.8) each month. But now they're looking for Rp 264,000. I was shocked," he complained.
Sukiyatno, who works in a textile fiber factory, said he was sure the amount of water he used this month was the same as last month.
For vegetable vendor Na'un, a 60-year-old water utility customer living in Serpong, his bill increased from Rp 50,000 last month to Rp 160,000 this month. He said he could not afford to pay the difference.
"I'm up in arms about this hike. I can't pay a bill like this. If I have to spend Rp 160,000 per month on water alone, how will I be able to feed my family," said the father of seven.
A similar complaint also came from Havie, a young housewife living in Bugel subdistrict, Karawaci.
"I live in a 36-square-meter low-cost house, but the water utility categorizes the place where I live as a luxury estate. I don't understand the calculations they are using. This is pure extortion," she said.
The complaints, however, appear unlikely to change the policy adopted by the Tangerang regency water utility, PDAM Tirta Kerta Raharja (TKR), with officials adamantly rejecting any review of the recent hike.
"There's nothing we can do about the customers' complaints. No compromise is possible as the hike has been approved by the regency council and administration," said Sunarto, an official from PDAM. "The price hike is normal."
He also said that another price hike would take place in July for business and industrial customers.
Sunarto said the company had to raise its water charges as the production cost for a cubic meter of water was Rp 2,700 while customers had only be paying Rp 1,800 per cubic meter of water.
He denied reports that the hike was intended to cover the company's debts of Rp 300 billion.
"The hike has nothing to do with our debts, although we have been warned by the central government about it," he said.
The utility's president, Utar Sutarya, advised the public to be more careful in using water.
Meanwhile, Tangerang Regent Ismet Iskandar said that his administration had no intention of reviewing the hike as the local council had approved the decision.
"The councillors only asked for better service in light of the increase. I personally believe the current price is affordable."