Levies on shallow wells

From Kompas

After the recent ID raid, regretted by many sides, the Jakarta Administration is now set to implement a controversial regulation to impose levies on shallow wells, which form the water source for a large percentage of the capital city's inhabitants. If revenues from this prove promising, the regulation will certainly be applied outside Jakarta.

The reason given for the regulation is ground water conservation. The question that arises now is whether with the levies the conservation of shallow well water will be better because Jakartans will become increasingly economical in the use of water.

Is this the best solution, based on an honest intention to protect Jakarta's ground water?

Is it not a subterfuge by the Jakarta Administration to increase its revenues? I am sure that if economical use of water is the objective, it will not be accomplished because water is a daily need. Millions of Jakartans still rely on shallow well water because they do not trust the city water company to meet their clean water requirements.

What is the percentage of household waste water taken from the ground against the reduction of Jakarta's ground water quantity? What is the share of household waste water which cannot be absorbed by the ground because it is channeled via open drains to rivers and the sea?

Is the percentage so critical as to necessitate this new regulation? If so, perhaps it would be necessary to make an additional condition on building permit applications.

Levies should be imposed selectively, and preferably not imposed on houses and buildings which channel their waste water back into the ground.

AGUS

Bogor, West Java