I don't want to rely on neigbors for water

Much of Java is in the throes of a drought as bad as the one that hit in 1997. Jakarta is also suffering through water shortages, with the water level of the main Jatiluhur reservoir having dropped to 82 meters from more than 100 meters. Residents are complaining about disruptions to both tap water and artesian well supplies. A number of people told The Jakarta Post they were concerned about a water crisis if the dry season continues for much longer.

Dona, 32, is a teacher at a private school in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta. She lives in Serdang, Central Jakarta, with her family:

My family has been relying on the city-owned tap water company for our water.

The water supply is frequently disrupted, especially now with the prolonged dry season.

But we have no other option. We use the tap water for cooking, drinking, washing and bathing. That's the only water source our family has.

We used to have an artesian well but the quality of the water was not good and not potable.

Now we count on the tap water, regardless of the disruptions. At least, we can save on water.

I'm worried the tap water service will get worse due to the long dry season. Perhaps I will have to spend some money to buy clean water or get some water from neighbors who can spare it.

This happened a few years ago when I had to rely on the kindness of neighbors to give us clean water every day. I don't want to do that again.

Warsono, 27, is a janitor at a sports hall in Central Jakarta. He lives in Grogol, West Jakarta, with his wife and daughter:

I don't use tap water from the city-owned company. I have been using a well and a manual pump for years.

The manual water pump belongs to my whole neighborhood, so I have to stand in line to get water.

However, there have been disruptions to the water supply for about a month now. I don't know, maybe it's because the prolonged dry season.

But it's better than using tap water. I have heard neighbor complain about disrupted tap water service.

I think this is the worst I have ever seen it. Nonetheless, I can get enough water for washing and bathing every day.

For drinking, I have to spend some money each day to buy clean water from vendors because the well water is not potable.

Honestly, I'm scared about what will happen if the dry season continues for a couple more months before the rainy season comes. Water is vital for life.

Ashari, 45, has a food stall on Jl. Kebayoran in South Jakarta. He lives in Palmerah Barat, West Jakarta, with his wife and five children:

I have never used tap water. My family relies on an artesian well with an electric water pump.

It is reliable and the water is good quality, particularly for drinking and cooking.

But now the water supply is very weak despite the water pump. I have to be careful to conserve water. Otherwise, we wouldn't have enough water each day, particularly because I need a lot of water every night for my food stall.

I have registered for city-owned tap water. I paid about Rp 200,000 (US$23.50) for the installation and some people came around to look into connecting my house.

I know that I'll have to wait for quite a while for the installation. But that's fine, I'll just use it as an alternative water supply. I'm just worried if the dry season gets worse in the future.

-- Leo Wahyudi S.