Dump sites poison residents

BEKASI: Residents living near a dump for Jakarta's waste are drinking water contaminated with sewage, potentially deadly poisons and heavy metals, a non-governmental organization revealed Thursday.

Environment Community Union (ECU) director Benny Ungul said analyses of water taken from the wells of residents from Sumur Batu village showed the water contained coliform bacteria, cyanide, chloride, cadmium, chrome and zinc.

The water was also reaching local rivers.

Benny was not asked how many residents were affected.

"The administration should convert the dump sites into waste processing sites as well as establishing infrastructure to eliminate pollution and to maintain the environment," he said.

Bekasi takes about 2,000 tones of garbage per day at the Sumur Batu dump site. Jakarta's Bantar Gebang dump site receives up to 6,000 tones per day. -- JP