For North Jakartans, water is worth gold

For North Jakartans, water is worth gold

Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

"Water is like gold in this neighborhood," said Warid, a resident
in Kampung Japat Saleh in Pademangan, North Jakarta.

Warid is among hundreds of residents, who have been
experiencing water shortages since the middle of 2001.

The 45-year-old man, who is also the neighborhood unit chief,
told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that most of the time -- both in
dry and rainy seasons -- not a drop of water trickled from the
pipes to the houses of some 650 families.

Nowadays, water only flows at midnight for an hour in most of
the nine neighborhood units (RTs).

But in one unit, RT 06, where 47 families are living, the
there has been no water at all since early this month, said the
man who has lived in the area since 1960.

"Actually, RT 06 has always had water problems. Last month, we
complained directly to the water operator. Then the water flowed
for two days. After that, nothing," Warid said.

Residents have to buy water from a water depot, located around
one kilometer away from the residential area, or from a door-to-
door vendor.

The water depot usually sells a jerry can that holds 20 liters
of water for Rp 250 (3 U.S. cents). However, instead of walking
and carrying the jerry cans, which are quite heavy, most
residents prefer to buy water from the door-to-door vendor.

The water vendors sell one jerry can of water for Rp 1,500,
600 percent more than the depot price.

A family of four needs around 10 jerry cans every twelve
hours, said Wardi.

However, the residents were grateful that an instant noodle
factory, near the residential area, had helped them by providing
clean water every afternoon.

"We don't know whether or not the water is recycled from the
production process. We only know that the factory uses it to
water the plants around the site. Nevertheless, we need the
water," Wardi said.

Moreover, he said that even though the water flowed
occasionally and in some houses the faucets were dry, they were
still billed as usual by the water company.

The residents understood that they might have to pay a
subscriber fee but they objected to paying for water that they
did not use.

"No water comes out of my faucet, yet I have to pay the bills,
come on!" said Jumana, 43, a housewife who also lives in RT 06.

She said that she understood that there was a severe drought
in the country, but it could not be used as an excuse for the
failure of the water operator to provide water to the paying
customers' houses.

However, after three years of drought she is already used to
the water shortage and has learned to live with it.

"Last year we were untouched by the flood. In fact, we never
have floods in the area. The place where we are living might be a
naturally water resistant area," she said jokingly.

Director of city-owned tap water operator PAM Jaya, Didiet
Harijadi, said that the water supply from Jatiluhur reservoir to
the capital would probably only last until September.

"The water level in the dam is only 84 meters above sea level.
If the water level at Jatiluhur drops to 60 meters, then the
supply to Jakarta will be in a affected."