Survey finds problem with water

JAKARTA: A survey released on Friday found that almost 20 percent of water refill outlets in the city sell water contaminated with coliform, a bacteria blamed for causing diarrhea and other health problems.

The Indonesian Communication Forum on Drinking Water Quality Management surveyed 96 of the 1,200 water refill outlets across the city in August and September.

"The water quality is relatively hygienic. However, consumers should be wary of the level of coliform," forum chairman Abdullah Muthalib said.

The survey found most outlet operators do not check the cleanliness of their water.

"They tend to be reckless when handling the equipment used to process the water. This poor sanitary is very influential on the quality of the water."

In April, the state-run Bogor Agriculture Institute released a survey that cautioned customers against buying drinking water from refill outlets because the water could be contaminated with harmful bacteria.

It said that 16 percent of 120 samples of drinking water from Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang, Bekasi and six other major cities in the country contained coliform bacteria. The samples also had a high concentration of chemicals. -- JP