Detergent level in water manageable: Supplier
Detergent level in water manageable: Supplier
JAKARTA (JP): A tap water company admitted Thursday that its
raw water had become contaminated with detergent chemicals, but
assured that the pollution was still within a tolerable level.
"Our problem is turbidity, not detergent fusion. Detergent
levels in our raw supplies can still be managed," the city's
foreign partner water firm PT Pam Lyonaisse Jaya (Palyja)'s
spokeswoman Maria Sidabutar said.
She told reporters that the company's raw water, taken from
the Jatiluhur dam in West Java, was very muddy at times,
especially in the rainy season, but it was still under control.
She was commenting on a report that raw water used by tap
water firms across the country, including city tap water firm PAM
Jaya, was believed to have been contaminated by a detergent
fusion.
Detergent fusion, according to a report based on a study
conducted by the University of Indonesia, is carcinogenic,
meaning it could cause cancer if it remains in the human body for
an extended period.
The study suggested that detergent had contaminated well water
and raw water due to a large increase in the use of detergent
products, such as soaps and shampoo.
It is believed that no tap water firms here have special
equipment to break down the detergent fusion as the machinery is
very expensive.
"So far, we don't know the name of the equipment," she said.
Maria revealed that her company has implemented a standard way
of breaking down the detergent fusion, which involves adding
active carbon powder when processing its raw water in the
company's water installations.
"Our water production still complies with the standards for
clean water set by the Ministry of Health. It is tested
continually," she said.
She said that every month the company tested its water at 221
points in the city, but admitted that it was just a general test,
not specifically aimed at testing detergent levels.
Meanwhile, city administration spokesman Muhayat could only
respond to the problem by alleging that the study could have been
sponsored by producers of a special machine, claiming that it
could break down detergent fusion.
"I don't know whether a producer of the machine was behind the
study," Muhayat said jokingly, adding that many studies were
believed to be sponsored by certain products.
Palyja, a subsidiary of French Lyonnaisse des Eaux, was
appointed to manage customers in the eastern part of Jakarta. It
manages three water installations in Penjernihan, Central
Jakarta, Pulo Gadung and Buaran in East Jakarta.
To manage customers in the western part of Jakarta, the
administration appointed PT Thames Pam Jaya, a subsidiary of
British Thames Water International.
Most raw water supplied to customers in the western part of
Jakarta was taken from Cisadane river, Tangerang, Banten. Both
Palyja and TPJ have more than 600,000 customers. (jun)