Eco-Luxury Jakarta Discussion Encourages Youth to Switch to Piped Water and Bring Tumblers

The Muda Itu Kita community held a public discussion themed ‘Eco-Luxury Jakarta: Rearranging Aesthetic Standards for a Clean and Environmentally Friendly City’. The discussion was a response to increasingly tangible ecological threats. Exploitation of groundwater, causing Jakarta’s land surface to sink annually, and high consumption of bottled water are two major issues threatening the capital’s sustainability. The event, held on Tuesday (16/6), brought together dozens of participants from disabled communities, NGOs, environmental activists, urban activists, academics, and young people to discuss Jakarta’s ecological challenges. It also encouraged concrete action to transition to piped water and use tumblers as part of a sustainable lifestyle.

The discussion featured figures such as urban issues content creator Fariz Egia Gamal, Melihat Kota platform initiator Rizzah Aulifia, and edufluencer Aland Dinda Pradana. Gamal stated that a crucial problem facing Jakarta is land subsidence of up to 15 cm annually. He explained this occurs not because of rising sea levels, but due to land sinking from groundwater exploitation using boreholes. The government issued a regulation in 2021 stipulating that buildings with a floor area of 5,000 square metres or more are prohibited from using groundwater. This policy is part of a system to prevent Jakarta from the predicted potential of sinking by 2050. “This rule applies to commercial buildings like apartments. Households typically drill between 20-40 metres, whereas commercial entities can drill up to 60-100 metres. If our groundwater is continuously mined, the land sinks further. And this is what causes us to sink,” Gamal said in a written statement on Thursday (18/6/2026). Gamal added that the public must start switching from groundwater to piped water, including by subscribing to the Drinking Water Company (PAM) as a form of environmental concern. “Every region has its own PAM because clean water is a public right. In Jakarta, there is PAM JAYA, which is currently pursuing a target for all parts of Jakarta to have a piped water network by 2029,” Gamal explained.

Edufluencer Aland Pradana acknowledged that Jakarta’s society, especially the youth, must become part of the environmental care movement. One of the easiest contributions is reducing consumption of bottled water by carrying a tumbler when travelling. “We are not public policy makers. Here, we can contribute, the easiest being not drinking from bottled water. We must also try to socialise with those around us to use piped water and inform our friends about the dangers of borehole groundwater,” Aland clarified. He also stressed that young people can use social media to disseminate useful information, including the dangers of groundwater use for Jakarta’s future. “We can use our social media to spread information that Jakarta’s sinking is not due to AC (Air Conditioner), but precisely because of groundwater. We must be able to bring this narrative to the public,” he asserted. Meanwhile, Melihat Kota Platform initiator Rizzah Aulifia reminded the public that ongoing groundwater consumption contributes to future hardships. If bottled water consumption also continues, it could contribute to environmental damage. “Wherever we go, we must bring our own tumbler. At several public facilities such as libraries, parks, or public transport stops, PAM JAYA has water refill points,” she concluded. During the event, it was announced that PAM JAYA has installed Water Hubs in various public facilities across Jakarta, including the National Library of Indonesia, Tebet City Park and Forest, Lapangan Banteng, and other points from public transport stops, schools, universities, parks, sports venues, to hospitals. The event also featured two sign language interpreters for the disabled community, embodying a spirit of inclusivity in protecting Jakarta. The discussion concluded with a tumbler giveaway and a call to protect Jakarta by carrying tumblers and switching to piped water.