Quick action sought against water theft

JAKARTA (JP): A councillor revealed on Wednesday that as many as 4,729 unauthorized pipe installations had been found in the city's three mayoralties since the beginning of this year.

"Water theft should be stopped. We don't want it to affect the revenue of the city-owned tap water firm PT PAM Jaya," Councillor Muhayar of the Justice Party told reporters.

Muhayar, a member of City Council Commission D for public works, development and environment affairs, called for immediate action against water theft to avoid the firm's failing to reach its revenue target.

He said PAM Jaya was targeted to contribute Rp 500 million (US$45,454) to the 2001 City Budget, after suffering losses in past years due to its long term and foreign debts.

He urged PAM Jaya's foreign partner PT Thames Pam Jaya (TPJ) to help stop water theft as the firm, a subsidiary of British Thames Water International, managed water supplies in the area.

Unauthorized water installations exist in North, Central and East Jakarta, or those parts of eastern Jakarta that are served by TPJ.

As for the water shortage due to the collapse of the West Tarum Canal dike in Kali Malang, Muhayar said this was beyond the responsibility of TPJ and the other PAM Jaya foreign partner, PT Pam Lyonnaise Jaya (Palyja).

He said it was the Ministry of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure that ought to be held responsible for the collapse.

The ministry, through its supervisory company Perum Jasa Tirta II, was responsible for the water supply from Jatiluhur dam in West Java and maintenance of the dike, he added.

He also said that the city had bought 4,650 million cubic meters per year, at a cost of Rp 20 billion (US$1,8 million) from Jasa Tirta II for water supply.

"So the money should also be used for maintenance of the dike," he said.

Jasa Tirta II had earlier complained about the lack of funds to finance the maintenance of all dikes and water networks in the city.

Separately, PT Palyja said in a statement on Wednesday that its water supply to customers had 97 percent returned to normal.

The firm said it currently could produce 597,000 cubic meters per day, compared with the normal 615,000 cubic meters, expecting that it would return to normal by this week. (jun)