Clean water now served in 'dry' areas

Mustaqim Adamrah ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 04/08/2008 11:52 AM  |  City

Tap water operators PT PAM Lyonnaise Jaya (Palyja) and PT Thames PAM Jaya (TPJ) have announced new water kiosks to serve more households.

Governor Fauzi Bowo said the new kiosks would help local residents obtain clean water at cheaper prices.

"Households usually buy water from retailers at Rp 1,250 (13 U.S. cents) for every 20-liter container," he said during a visit to Palyja's new kiosk in Kamal subdistrict, North Jakarta.

"At this new water kiosk, they now can buy 20 liters of water for only Rp 400, based on agreements made by locals and the kiosk operator, or Rp 1,000 should they buy from retailers," he said.

Fauzi said the kiosks were built because clean water had not been made available yet in the area and Palyja, which distributed tap water in western Jakarta, was yet to expand its pipelines.

The kiosk, established by Palyja, would be managed by locals under the auspices of the company and the city's water firm PT PAM Jaya.

Palyja, running services in western Jakarta, expects to serve 200 households out of some 50,000 subscribers already served through its pipelines.

The kiosk is the first of 11 kiosks Palyja has planned to build this year, adding to the 51 kiosks already operating.

Fauzi said areas with water kiosks would soon enjoy tap water through pipelines "in years to come".

Palyja also plans to operate three booster pumps in May.

The pumps, to be stationed on Jl. Daan Mogot in West Jakarta, are expected to expand Palyja's coverage area.

"Without booster pumps, Palyja's service area will be limited," he said. "Pumps can increase the rate of water discharged," said Fauzi."

Palyja plans to increase its production rate from current 600 liter per second to 750 liter per second in May.

The water operator also expects to increase its outflow to 850 liter per second in June, with the installment of infrastructure in Pedongkelan, East Jakarta.

Meanwhile, TPJ, which operates in eastern Jakarta, has just finished building three new water kiosks in Marunda subdistrict, North Jakarta.

TPJ's new kiosks, which have operated since last Thursday, are expected to serve 300 local households, who are usually required to walk one hour to the neighboring city Bekasi to get water.

TPJ spokeswoman Devy A. Yheanne said each kiosk had a 4,000-liter capacity and sold water for Rp 300 for every 20-liter container.

"The price was determined by both the kiosks' operators and locals," she said in a statement available to The Jakarta Post.

In the near future, she said, TPJ would also build another three kiosks within their service area.

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