RI lacks clean water: Expert

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Drinking Water Companies (Perpamsi) Ridwan Syahputra said that only around 20 percent of the Indonesian population had access to clean water produced by Local Drinking Water Companies (PDAM).

Ridwan said that Indonesia fell far short of meeting the national target on the availability of clean water, set at 80 percent of the total population.

He remarked that the prolonged economic crisis, the scarcity of water sources in urban areas, and the debts afflicting a number of local water companies had caused low access to drinking water.

Recently, the association embarked on a campaign to improve local companies' customer services.

He added that the rates paid by customers for water consumption was still below the cost of production.

"The current rate is 50 percent below the actual cost of drinking water production," he said. --Antara