Pio, the water boy

Thu, March 30, 2017 / 02:56 pm

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Heavy load: Pio pushes his cart of water bottles on a railway line in Kampung Muka, Ancol, North Jakarta. He has to memorize the train schedules to allow him to use his cart on the track safely. JP/ Jerry Adiguna
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Getting through: Another water seller brings empty water bottles to a water agent for refilling in Ancol. Clean-water distribution has created a competitive small business in slum areas in North Jakarta. JP/ Jerry Adiguna
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Manual work: Pio (back) carries a full water bottle while a jamu (traditional herbal drinks) seller serves her customer in a densely populated area of Kampung Muka. JP/ Jerry Adiguna
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Pilling up: Pio stocks his bottles in the space between two railway tracks while waiting for a train to pass. JP/ Jerry Adiguna
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In dim light: Pio carries a water bottle to a customer's home through a narrow alley. JP/ Jerry Adiguna
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Daily job: Pio has been distributing water to residents in Kampung Muka for more than three years. JP/ Jerry Adiguna

Pio, a 24-year-old resident of densely populated Kampung Muka, Ancol, North Jakarta, makes a living by distributing clean water to people who live in the densely populated area.
He earns Rp 1,000 (7 US cents) for each bottle from a water refill depot and Rp 3,000 per bottle for well-known brands of mineral water to support his daily needs.

Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) released to mark the World Water Day on March 22 referred to more than 663 million people still living with difficult access to clean water all over the world.

Pio and his water-delivery job in Ancol represents a glimpse into the hard lives of residents in Jakarta who have to buy clean water for everyday consumption.