Govt told to monitor groundwater exploitation

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Tue, 07/01/2008 10:25 AM | City

Observers have urged the city administration to take issues of industrial groundwater exploitation more seriously as the city's land subsidences have worsened.

"It is easy to issue a regulation, but the most important thing is to control the industrial activity. I think law enforcement is still very poor," said Wijanto Hadipuro, a member of the Amrta Institute for water literacy, on Monday.

The government is planning to issue a bylaw to increase tax on groundwater exploitation.

"It is OK to raise groundwater tax to encourage people to use more tap water, but it would be useless if the administration did not strictly control usage," he said.

A 2008 ordinance prohibits businesses from consuming more than 100 cubic meters of groundwater per well per day.

The ordinance aims to restrict businesses from using groundwater when they are located within tap water serviced areas.

By law, people who misuse groundwater will be fined up to Rp 1 billion (US$109,000) and can be jailed for more than six years.

Wijanto said the regulations were not enough to prevent businesses from breaking the law.

"The regulations are not effective for big companies. The administration should monitor them more closely," he said.

The administration plans to raise groundwater tax and requires domestic consumers to pay for a minimum of 10 cubic meters of piped water per month, even if they use less than that.

Governor Fauzi Bowo said last week he would raise the groundwater tax in areas with the worst land subsidences, like North Jakarta, and the new rates would be closer to piped water rates.

The rates will depend on the consumer categories, which include non-business; small business; large business, including hotels and offices; small industry; and large industry.

Fauzi said he hoped the new policy would encourage household consumers to rely on tap water.

Campaign coordinator of the People's Coalition for the Right to Water (Kruha), Ratna Yunita, said the administration and water operators in Jakarta -- PT PAM Lyonnaise Jaya and PT Aetra Air Jakarta -- should improve tap water quality and access to clean water.

"The 2007 Millenium Development Goals report found piped water was accessible to only 30 percent of people in big cities across the country. I believe the number is even smaller in Jakarta," Ratna said.

"The city's tap water is unreliable. Kruha recorded in February many customer complaints to the two water operators, saying the water quality was poor. It proves the administration isn't serious about the tap water problems in the city.

"As the groundwater supply decreases, the people have no choice but to use tap water," she said.

She suggested the administration build a water tank in every residential complex to provide clean water for people.

Wijanto said rich people should help poorer people by providing clean water.

"Wealthy people drill for groundwater for individual purposes. Now it is time for them to assist poor people by providing groundwater to communities around them," he said. (trw)

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