PAM Jaya and Community Socialise to Stop Using Groundwater

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The KOMWAJA community collaborated with PAM Jaya to socialise the cessation of groundwater use and the ease of subscribing to piped water at the Navigation Dormitory, RW 16, Tanjung Priok Sub-district, North Jakarta, on Saturday. “Continuous use of groundwater has serious impacts on health and city safety,” said environmental observer Rachman Susanto Batjo in Jakarta on Saturday. He stated that the rate of land subsidence in Jakarta reaches 5-10 centimetres, and even up to 15 centimetres per year in some locations. “If not stopped immediately, the threat of Jakarta sinking by 2050 is not just an issue, but a reality,” he said. He added that excessive pumping of groundwater leaves soil layers empty, triggering seawater intrusion that makes groundwater brackish or salty. Furthermore, he continued, this condition triggers erosion, corrosion of building structures, and exacerbates tidal flooding because areas are sinking below sea level. In response to this problem, the government has established policies to limit and eliminate groundwater use in DKI Jakarta. Rachman said that currently, 82 percent of Jakarta’s areas are covered by PAM Jaya’s piped installations. However, PAM Jaya targets 100 percent of Jakarta residents to have access to piped water use. Senior Manager of Corporate & Customer Communication at PT PAM Jaya, Gatra Vaganza, said that PAM Jaya is committed to cutting bureaucracy so that Jakarta residents can enjoy access to clean water with a transparent and practical registration process. He said the aim of PAM Jaya is to ensure the public understands that the piped water subscription procedure is much easier. “We continue to innovate so that clean water services can be reached by all levels of society with a process that is not convoluted,” he said. He said this activity is part of PT PAM Jaya’s ongoing efforts to get closer to customers. “We provide direct socialisation and explain the registration procedures while listening to direct input from residents,” he said. According to him, by directly listening to residents’ voices, PAM Jaya hopes to continuously improve services to realise clean water sovereignty for all DKI Jakarta residents. He said PAM Jaya is simplifying transparent and quick subscription procedures. “There is even a free connection programme for simple households and social facilities with very easy requirements,” he said.