House Commission VII Urges Bottled Water Industry to Create Balanced Environment
Klaten (ANTARA) - House Commission VII has requested commitments from the bottled drinking water (AMDK) industry to balance the economic impacts of their operations while ensuring environmental sustainability and improving community welfare.
Chair of the Specific Working Visit Team of Commission VII to PT Tirta Investama in Klaten, Evita Nursanty, stated in Klaten, Central Java, on Thursday that a working committee for the AMDK industry has been formed as part of oversight of the sector.
“The purpose of the working committee is to address ongoing issues, including regulations that need improvement,” she said.
She explained that commitments and requirements must be met by companies when establishing industries in a location.
“They must ensure the utilisation of safeguards for environmental conservation. This is mandatory; what is taken must be returned not just in balance but more than what has been extracted,” she said.
On that occasion, she expressed appreciation to PT Tirta Investama for its commitment to environmental conservation, including the creation of infiltration wells.
Additionally, the company behind the Aqua mineral water brand has implemented plastic recycling processes.
Nevertheless, she hopes that in the future, other mineral water companies will adopt uniform practices.
“Earlier, colleagues (working committee members) raised the issue that we currently face a plastic waste problem. Meanwhile, recycling is insufficient, leading to the need for imports. We must find solutions—whether due to difficult regulations or insufficient investment,” said Evita.
Her side wants not only Aqua but all AMDK industries in Indonesia to contribute to resolving the current prominent issues.
On the same occasion, Klaten Regent Hamenang Wajar Ismoyo stated that the working committee’s visit is a strategic step to ensure that the impacts of PT Tirta Investama’s presence are truly felt by the community.
“PT Tirta Investama, which extracts water in Klaten Regency, should ensure its impacts are genuinely experienced by the local people. Commission VII has conveyed many supportive points to us as the regional government; we hope what Commission VII has stated can be implemented by PT Tirta Investama. Starting from disaster management—before discussing Aceh or Sumatra, in Klaten actually, there are areas affected by drought every year. How can Aqua play a role in that,” he said.
He hopes that in the future, the company can play a more active role in various sectors, including infrastructure, tourism, and the economy.
“So everything can be supported. Currently, Klaten’s position is rising; with support from third parties, it will certainly be even better,” he said.
Representing PT Tirta Investama, Aqua Corporate Communications Director Vera Galuh Sugijanto stated that the company has a strong commitment to conservation.
The company has collaborated with BRIN since 2021 to validate the positive impacts of water management using the Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA) method.
This collaboration aims to ensure that Aqua’s conservation initiatives, such as infiltration wells and tree planting, return more water to nature than is used in production, to achieve the Positive Water Impact 2030 target.
Regarding plastic packaging, the company uses reusable gallons.
“Regarding the quality of reusable gallons, we currently have two types: polycarbonate and PET (polyethylene terephthalate). Both meet the same safety standards and are monitored for how long they can be reused and when they need to return to the factory. The use of reusable gallons not only saves energy but also reduces plastic usage,” she said.
During the specific working visit, members of House Commission VII also had the opportunity to directly observe the mineral water packaging process at PT Tirta Investama’s factory.