Solve water problem now!

I refer to the two articles in The Jakarta Post on July 4, 2001 and July 6, 2001 regarding the lack of water supply to West and South Jakarta.

I was amazed to read Mr. Pierre Alla's comments that PT PAM Lyonnaise Jaya (Palyja) is being asked to pay a 25 percent increase on the current Rp 915 per cubic meter and this is too high. Why is it too high when you charge us between Rp 2,500 and Rp 3,500 per cubic meter?

While I agree that the continual increase of water prices over the last two years has been high, I am not sure that Mr. Pierre Alla of Palyja is actually living in the real world. He says that PAM Tangerang has recently reduced the water supply because of the dispute over the price. However, the residents of Taman Surya 5 have had a poor water supply for as long as we can remember. He is well aware of this because I spoke to him about it following my previous letter the in Your Letters column in April 2001. Mr. Alla called me and assured me that the problem would be addressed -- of course there has been no result.

Now he is blaming the problem on PAM Tangerang. Does he know how much it costs for us to buy water from an alternative source? Far more than will be saved by his negotiating with PAM Tangerang I can assure you. For your information the private water companies are charging Rp 20,000 per cubic meter. In the meantime we still have to pay our monthly service charge with no discount for poor service.

If Mr. Alla insists that we customers should be patient, maybe he would like to live here and I will live in his house until he completes his negotiations. Water is and always has been essential of human life, and as this problem does not seem to be caused by droughts or water shortages, I suggest both companies stop behaving like spoiled children and sort this problem out now.

Also while we thank the Jakarta governor for involving himself in this dispute, can I respectfully ask him to keep his comments constructive, he should involve himself in the negotiations and try to help reach an immediate agreement rather than ordering PAM Jakarta to stop buying water from the very company he is meant to negotiate with.

Mr. Alla -- solve the problem now -- please offer a solution as to how we can receive water in the meantime. Talk to the governor and arrange for the city to help deliver water by tanker to the affected areas. The only way we will ever be able to receive water is with the help of the Jakarta administration, because your own employees always refuse to deliver water to us.

ALAN ROBSON

Jakarta