TPJ clarifies

Referring to the article in The Jakarta Post, on June 22 titled TPJ cuts Kalibaru water supply, in order to avoid any misunderstanding, I would like to make the following corrections:

Currently, PT Thames Pam Jaya (TPJ) has permanently disconnected 18 hydrants in the Kalibaru area (PC 76), a northern area of Jakarta where improvements to the water network by TPJ have been in progress since the middle of May 2005.

The disconnections are targeted especially for those who delayed the payment of their water bills. Based on City Regulation No. 11/1993, customers who delay their payments must be disconnected, either temporary or permanently, depending on the nature of their case.

According to the regulation, the delay in payment is in violation of Article 21 of the above regulation, covering payment for water consumption which carries disconnection penalties. The Article also states that customers must be temporarily disconnected if they do not pay the water bill five days after the deadline. Article 24 of the same regulation also states that selling water from public hydrants using a water tank is prohibited.

Based on TPJ's latest data, 30 percent of its customers have delayed payments for their water bills. Moreover, an inspection of hydrant customers and documents revealed that almost 90 percent of the hydrant customers have arrears and delayed their payments to TPJ.

Therefore, TPJ continues to remind its customers to pay their water bills on time.

DEVY A. YHEANNE, Public Relations Manager External Relations and Communications Directorate, PT Thames Pam Jaya, Jakarta

Note: Thank you for the further information.

-- Editor