'Water rate hike is burdensome'

Like it or not, Jakartans have to see automatic water rate hikes by between 4 and 16 percent every six months for the next five years. The announcement was made more than 10 days after it took effect. The Jakarta Post asked residents about their opinion on the issue.

Ellya, 25, works as a marketing staffer with a car showroom in Matraman in East Jakarta. She lives in Salemba Tengah, Central Jakarta with her family:

What hike? Water tariff? I have not heard about the increase. If it's true, that will definitely add more burden to my family's budget as we don't use ground water.

I could not accept the reason that it was meant to pay the debt. The reason doesn't make sense to me.

For me, the most important thing is an improvement in the service. With water disruption almost every day, please don't ever talk about raising the water tariff.

Aprilina, 28, is a public relation consultant, whose office on Jl. Sudirman, Central Jakarta. She lives in Condet subdistrict, East Jakarta:

To tell you the truth, I have no interest to discuss about the increase of tapwater tariff. I use groundwater for our daily need, so I won't be much affected.

But I must say that the continuous water hike is not fair because the operators have not been able to improve their services -- water supply is not always available and its quality is still poor.

Maybe the customers will accept the water hike if they also see continuous effort to improve service.

I think the hike will also burden low-income costumers, such as the low-ranking civil servants.

Moreover, in the economic situation like this, no companies would be able to increase significant amount of salaries for their employees.

It's more wise for the city administration to raise water tariff only for rich customers.

--The Jakarta Post