Tap water pipeline to Marunda installed

JAKARTA (JP): PT Thames Pam Jaya (TPJ), a foreign partner of city-owned water company PDAM Jaya, completed the installation of a 5.17-kilometer pipeline to Marunda subdistrict, North Jakarta, to supply tap water to 600 local families.

Nani Sariati of TPJ said on Monday the installation of the Rp 1 billion pipeline project was financed by British tap water company Thames Water as part of its social role in the country.

The pipeline project, which began in February, is expected to be fully operational by the end of this month, Pierre Jacobs, managing director of TPJ, said.

"Each family will only have to pay Rp 25,000 in registration fees at the local subdistrict office," Nani said.

She said that under the project, water would be provided at Rp 995 per cubic meter (1,000 liters).

"By comparison, water in the area, which is currently provided by a deep well with the help of jet pumps, costs Rp 500 for every 20 liters."

Sri, a Marunda resident, said currently she was spending up to Rp 30,000 every month for the well water.

"That is not really the problem... the problem is that I have to line up for up to four hours every day just to get the water," she said.

Sanuri, another local resident, said the cost of the well water and lining up for the water were not her main complaints.

"The well water is very oily and tastes salty. I don't dare bathe with it, so I buy clean water sold here in plastic containers... at Rp 750 each," she said. (ylt)