Fakfak yet to get clean water

FAKFAK, Irian Jaya: The construction of a clean water pipeline network for the supply of Fakfak town residents is estimated to be completed in 2000.

The head of the clean water project here, FX Budiantoro, was quoted Wednesday by Antara as saying here that "residents would be able to enjoy clean water 24 hours a day" when the project was completed.

The project, with a capacity of 200 liters per second and a cost of Rp 12 billion (Rp 5,000 to the US dollar) may cost more due to the crisis, Budiantoro said.

"But it has been the government's commitment to complete it by the end of 2000 at the latest, because each year Fakfak residents suffer from the lack of clean water, particularly during the drought," he said.

This condition has also led to investors canceling investments in the regency, he added, citing investors in fisheries, timber and household goods.

The water supply to the city is currently from Kali Mati and the Gewerpe river with a flow of 23 liters per second, which provides water to only 14,000 of the population of 130,000, leading to much criticism of the government's water company.