Tap water enough until October

JAKARTA (JP): City-owned water company PDAM Jaya promised yesterday to provide an adequate clean water supply during the prolonged dry season to its customers.

The promise was made in a meeting yesterday between the company's officials and members of the City Council.

Djafar Badjeber, head of Commission B for economic affairs, said after the meeting that the promise of an adequate supply was based on there being sufficient water input from Jatiluhur dam in West Java.

The water input from Jatiluhur dam is projected to remain stable at 95 percent of the company's water demand at least until next month when the 19th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games are held.

"PDAM said there is no need to worry about the current drought," Djafar said.

The meteorology agency predicted earlier that rain would start falling in Jakarta around the second week of October.

Djafar hoped that the company could meet its promise as many customers had already started complaining about tap water shortages.

PDAM director Rama Boedi reiterated earlier that the tap water shortages in the city had nothing to do with the long dry season, adding that they were caused by repairs to pipes and routine maintenance in several of the city's water installations.

But Djafar disagreed, "I think the repairs are just an excuse. The main reason is the long dry season".

Rama said that PDAM had enough water: 4,500 cubic meters per second from the Buaran treatment plant and another 2,800 cubic meters per second from the Cisadane tap water installation.

During yesterday's meeting the councilors also questioned PDAM's plan to raise tap water tariffs next January by up to 12 percent.

"PDAM should not raise the tariffs without discussing it first with the council because the tariffs have to be approved so as not to burden low-income people," Djafar said. "Moreover the company must improve its management and service to the public first, before thinking about the raise," he said.

The water tariffs for social service buildings such as foster homes and hospitals are currently set at between Rp 390 and Rp 930 per cubic meter, depending of the amount consumed. The tariffs for housing are set between Rp 390 (for small houses) and Rp 1,845 (for luxury houses), commercial tariffs at between Rp 1,350 and Rp 3,100 and industrial tariffs between Rp 1,175 and Rp 5,050. (07)