Expert warns people about contaminated tap water

Expert warns people about contaminated tap water

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

An expert warned on Monday that tap water might not be safe to
drink, even after it has been boiled.

"The public must be careful in consuming tap water as the
conventional filtering fails to screen micro pollutants and
disease-causing bacteria found in the severely contaminated river
water used as raw water by water companies," Mochamad Ali, a
hydrology expert of the Ministry of Resettlement and Regional
Infrastructure, told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

The standard practice used in water treatment, that of adding
chlorine to water polluted by detergent or pesticides, Ali
revealed, could form a fusion of a new chemical compound believed
to be carcinogenic.

A study conducted by the University of Indonesia last year
suggested that detergents were among the pollutants that
contaminated well water and raw water used by tap water firms
across the country, including state-owned water supplier PAM
Jaya, due to a large increase in the use of detergents, such as
soap and shampoo.

In its 1990 survey, the Indonesian Consumers Foundation found
that Jakarta tap water contained 0.0024 ppm of mercury,
considerably higher than the health ministry standard of 0.001.

Long-term exposure to heavy metal pollutants, existing in the
air and water, is not tangible but leads to health problems
affecting the nervous system, organs, creating muscle pain,
reducing intelligence and triggering chronic fatigue syndrome.

Studies on minerals show that mercury can cause mental
retardation, gait and visual impairment. Abnormal lead levels are
associated with a lack of attention, increased impulsiveness,
aggression and erratic behavior; while aluminum intoxication may
contribute to hyperactivity.

Meanwhile, Kosasih Wirahadikusuma, head of the Regional
Environmental Impact Management Agency pointed to the absence of
a sewerage system to manage household and industrial waste in
Jakarta.

"The water will always be contaminated by hazardous substances
unless the city administration constructs a sewerage system,"
said Kosasih.

Kosasih advised people to regularly check their water to
ensure its safety.

"Just come to my laboratory in Casablanca, in South Jakarta.
It's free of charge," Kosasih said.

Water testing is also available at the laboratory of state-
owned surveyor Sucofindo on Jl. Arteri Tol Cibitung, Bekasi.

Separately, Marius Wijajarto, a medical doctor who is also
chairman of the Indonesia Health Consumers' Empowerment
Foundation, warned that regular consumption of water contaminated
by E. coli bacteria or heavy metal substances could have a lethal
impact, especially on children,

Marius said E-coli bacteria could induce severe diarrhea and
other gastric problems that may lead to death, while heavy metal
substances could also cause serious kidney trouble.

A recent study of the Bogor Institute of Agriculture shows
that 90 percent of wells in Jakarta have been contaminated by E.
coli bacteria.

Ahmad Safrudin of the Jakarta Chapter of the Indonesian Forum
for the Environment (Walhi) said people must ensure that the
water they consumed was potable and safe by using reliable
filters.

"The use of filters is highly recommended given that most
water in Jakarta has been contaminated by hazardous substances
and pollutants," he said.

Ahmad suggested that people dig their own wells deeper to
obtain relatively safer ground water which was less contaminated
than that of shallow wells exposed to household and industrial
waste.

He also recommended a regular laboratory test of well water to
check whether or not substances found in the ground water were
hazardous.