Water charges

I read in The Jakarta Post that as of Jan. 4 tap water charges will increase by another 30 percent. This greatly disturbs me. Why are we, PAM water users, burdened with such a raise, while almost 50 percent of the tap water is used by people not paying for it.

Why am I forced to subsidize the sloppiness of the government c/o PAM, which cannot get its act together by controlling the use of tap water and making people pay for it? If those parties using PAM water without paying were to be charged, the price hike would not be necessary since PAM's revenue would increase by almost 100 percent. If there are communal free PAM water supplies for the poor, the "Kelurahan" or district offices should pay for these rather than me.

I feel squeezed beyond the limit of endurance with the constant hikes applied by the government; especially since it is no secret that up to 30 or 40 percent of the money is embezzled! The overall situation is disgusting, and getting worse by the day! When and how will this debauchery and this attitude of not caring about the opinions of the public come to an end?

MRS. SUHARTO Jakarta