'I deserve good water service'

In response to demands from foreign water operators PT Thames Pam Jaya of Britain and PT Pam Lyonaise Jaya of France, Governor Sutiyoso proposed a 45 percent water price increase to the City Council. This has not gone over well with many tap water customers, who complain about the poor quality of the water and disrupted distribution due partly to the high level of water leakage and other inefficiencies. The Jakarta Post asked a number of residents to comment on the issue.

Wawan Kurniawan, 28, is a teacher at a private junior high school in Kebayoran, South Jakarta. He lives in Rawamangun, East Jakarta:

I am of the opinion that it would be better for the city-owned tap water company to provide the best service possible to the public. I'm sure the company is able to manage water distribution.

So I wonder why the company relies on the foreign investors to operate it.

I have complained many times about disruptions in the water distribution during the "peak" hours in the morning when most people are taking a shower. Besides, the water is so dirty I have to clean my bathtub every few days.

It is not fair to demand customers pay a water price increase just to cover the leakage and irregularities. Those are the company's faults not the customers.

I think the proposal to raise water rates is kind of blackmailing the public in the name of public interests. I am at odds with the city governor's proposal.

Worse, the management of city-owned companies here lacks transparency to the public.

If the price hike were to be followed by an improvement in service, then the consumers would not think it burdensome. But the fact that water distribution and quality remain poor is very frustrating.

The only thing I know for sure is that I deserve good tap water service and I don't care who manages the water company.

Tuchid, 30, was formerly employed at a hotel on Jl. Hayam Wuruk in West Jakarta. He lives with relatives in Slipi Jaya, West Jakarta:

I think the city-owned tap water company must be capable of managing water in the city.

However, the corrupt mentality of civil servants is so acute that they always fail to improve the water service to the public.

I wonder how they improve service if they always come to work late in the morning and then leave the office during work hours. It's no wonder that the tap water service is still poor.

Actually, the city-owned tap water company should be very capable of managing itself. Which means the company should not have signed a joint cooperation agreement with the foreign investors.

I don't think the agreement has done anything to improve service as many customers still complain about the tap water.

And even if water prices are increased by up to 45 percent, I don't think it will improve the service.

As a customer I deserve to get my money's worth in terms of service. It's ridiculous to pay more money for a product that is dirty and of poor quality. So how come they can raise the price?

The city-owned tap water company should prove to the public its competence so it won't have to depend on foreign investors anymore.

Vina, 30, is a housewife who lives in Semper, North Jakarta, with her husband and two children:

I used to use tap water distributed by the city-owned water company. However, my family cannot count on the tap water.

So now we pump water from an artesian well so we get water whenever we need it.

The distribution of the tap water is often disrupted and worse still the quality of the water is far from what is expected.

I care more about the product itself than some joint agreement signed by the city-owned tap water company and the foreign investors. Meaning, why doesn't the city administration focus its attention on how to improve the service and quality?

Everybody knows that tap water distribution in the city is very poor. The joint agreement has failed to provide better service.

So what's the benefit of raising water prices as proposed by the governor? It will just burden and disappoint the people, I guess. Leo Wahyudi S