TheJakartaPost
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Sanitation in Kupang
Referring to your article titled "Indonesia near the bottom in SE Asia clean-toilet survey" (The Jakarta Post, Jan
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eferring to your article titled "Indonesia near the bottom in SE Asia clean-toilet survey" (The Jakarta Post, Jan. 23), I should note that Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara, has no water supply and has no proper sanitation infrastructure.
No wonder so many people (especially the old and very young) die from preventable dirty water-related diseases. Kupang would likely rank the lowest amongst all cities in Indonesia.
The Kupang administration prefers to continue to deliver water by tanker truck rather than piped water. The trucks "buy" water from highly polluted rivers and wells.
The tanker trucks are, of course, owned by the "water mafia" which has benefited from the dubious arrangements for several years. Government-owned water operator PDAM is deprived of the necessary budget and capacity to improve the water supply.
A very large dam (Tilong Dam) was constructed just outside Kupang through grant-funding by the Japanese government to supply water to Kupang several years ago.
Alas, it is not used at all! The new governor seems not to take too much interest in these basic services which should be a human right for all! Now we even have to pay dearly for polluted water even at the peak of the rainy season!
HENRY MANOE
Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara
