Poor control of pipe the cause of leakage

JAKARTA (JP): Director of the city owned water company PAM Jaya Syamsu Romly admitted that control over its water pipe installation projects is ineffective.

The director told the City Council's Commission D in charge of development affairs in a meeting Monday night that the ineffective control has led to sloppy jobs in the installation of water networks, thereby causing a high level of water leaks.

"Basically there are two parties responsible for the sloppy jobs: our employees and the contractors of the project. Unfortunately neither of them are doing their jobs properly," Syamsu said.

He explained that the company has actually taken firmer action against reckless employees and contractors. Since 1992, for example, the company has dismissed 20 employees and it vowed not to hesitate in taking similar action against negligent contractors.

"This number does not include employees who have been given other sanctions," Syamsu said.

Syamsu also said that the company is striving to improve the quality of its employees by sending them to advanced training courses.

"We intend to improve our human resources management system by putting the right man in the right place," he added.

In the meantime the city administration is considering the possibility of reorganizing the management of the company in a bid to help improve water services in the capital.

Deputy Governor of Economic and Development Affairs TB Rais told reporters last week that the new management will be announced next month at the latest.

Data at the company show that its production, which reaches a total of 1 million cubic meters daily, only supplies 58.8 percent of the city's daily water demand of 1.7 million cubic meters.

The remaining 700,000 cubic meters is acquired from other water sources, such as artesian wells.

The water leakage in pipe connections, bad installation and the use of improper materials are categorized as material losses.

According to the company, water leakage in 1993 was 47.43 percent while the World Bank data showed that the leakage reached 52.94 percent in 1993 and 51.35 percent this year.

Syamsu also said that PAM Jaya has strived to reduce the leakage through the implementation of a systematic zoning system and district metering. The zoning system is conducted by dividing water distribution areas into six zones.

Zone one includes Jl. Gajah Mada, Gambir and Slipi, with Pejompongan water installation I and II being the source of water; Zone two in Menteng, Kramat and Jatinegara, from Pulogadung water installation and Zone three in Kemayoran, Tajung Priok and Sunter, from Buaran water installation II.

Zone four and five include Kapuk Muara, Kebayoran Lama and Grogol Selatan, from Cisadane water installation, while Zone six includes Klender, Pondok Kopi and Condet, from Buaran water installation II.

Syamsu said that the first phase of the district metering project covering 248 locations will be finished in 1996.

"The second phase, expected to cover another 226 locations, will start next year and is expected to be finished by the year 2000," Syamsu said. (yns)