RI lacks clean water: Expert

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