`I strongly disagree with water price hike'

`I strongly disagree with water price hike'

The city-owned water utility, PT Pam Jaya, signed a partnership
agreement in 1998 with the local subsidiaries of two European
water companies, PT Thames Pam Jaya of Britain and PT Pam
Lyonnaise Jaya of France. However, the two foreign investors have
threatened to pull out if the City Council rejects a rise in
water charges. The Jakarta Post asked residents to comment on the
issue.

Yanto, 65, is a vendor selling soft drinks and mineral water
in Senayan, Central Jakarta. He resides in Depok, West Java, with
his wife and seven children:

I don't agree with the city-owned water utility continuing to
collaborate with the foreign investors.

If the city administration is serious in properly managing
drinking water and its distribution, there would be no need to
collaborate with the overseas partners.

It is not that difficult to process raw water into potable tap
water. I worked with the city water utility for ten years so I
know the processes involved.

I think these collaborative ventures do nothing to guarantee
improvements in service given that the rate of water leakage is
still so high.

I presume that the poor service is the result of the corrupt
mentality of the management. The managers only think of how to
make as much profit as possible for themselves. The public's
right to get clean water is always ignored.

I reckon that actually our country has plenty of people who
are capable of properly running the company.

I wonder why the city administration want's to depend on these
collaborative ventures with overseas partners for managing the
tap water supply.

Such joint management tends to burden rather than benefit the
public. We see how often they demand rises in water charges.
Worse still, there has been no significant improvement in
services.

Therefore, I prefer to use a water pump for my daily water
needs even though I'm also connected to the water mains. But, I
cannot rely on the tap water due to its poor quality and the
irregular supply.

Cindy, 29, is an employee with a private company in South
Jakarta. She resides in Matraman, East Jakarta, with her family:

I reckon that the supply of tap water is very poor as the
water pressure is often terrible. Worse still, sometimes the
water is dirty.

Frankly, I can't rely fully on the city-owned firm's water for
our daily needs. So, my family prefers to depend on the good,
old-fashioned water pump.

My other house in Puri Indah, West Jakarta, also has the same
problems with the water supply.

I don't bother complaining about the problem as it would be to
no avail. Usually, we got no quick response to the problem. So,
I'm tired wasting my energy complaining about it.

I disagree with the collaborative ventures between the city-
owned water company and its foreign partners.

These ventures have not improved the service at all but have
instead burdened the public.

If there are no benefits, why should the city administration
should continue these agreements. I wonder why it is always the
public that has to pay for poor management.

I totally disagree with the city governor's plan to raise
water charges in the near future as this won't improve the
service.

As a customer, I have never been satisfied with the service
provided by the tap water companies.

Maria, 27, is an employee of a private English school in South
Jakarta. She resides in Cengkareng, West Jakarta, with her
family:

I don't know what to say about the service provided by the
city-owned tap water company. Honestly speaking, it's still far
from satisfactory.

I hate to say it, but my water supply is regularly cut off for
quite long periods. Of course, they never give any notice
beforehand.

Worse still, when the water is flowing, it is very dirty,
particularly during the wet season like now.

If the service remains poor, then I wonder what is the benefit
of the collaborative ventures with the foreign partners.

Many customers like me hoped these ventures would lead to far
better services, stronger finances and reliable tap water
supplies. But in fact, we were obviously expecting too much. We
have been constantly disappointed with the services provided by
the city-owned water company.

Besides, I also wonder how these ventures have led to the big
debts the company has built up. Of course, the public will be
called upon to repay the city administration's debts so as to
cover the cost of mismanagement and leakage.

Thus, it is pointless to continue with these collaborative
ventures. I also strongly disagree with a rise in water charges.
The public shouldn't be always victimized.

-- Leo Wahyudi S.