Monday, July 11, 2005

Sutiyoso defends water charge increase

Source: The Jakarta Post

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Jakarta administration has played down criticism over the recent tap-water rate increase, arguing the decision was fair to both poor and wealthy customers.

"You judge yourselves whether it is fair or not to allow richer customers to bear the higher rate of up to Rp 12,000 per cubic meter of tap water, compared to the meager rate of Rp 900 for the poor, which is lower than similar rates applied in other cities nationwide," Governor Sutiyoso said on Friday.

The administration announced last week an increase in tap water tariffs, ranging from 5 percent to 63 percent, starting July 1.

The tap water fee for "modest" homes, as well as for social and religious foundations, like orphanages, mosques and churches, has increased by 63 percent, from Rp 550 to Rp 900, while for bigger houses, the fee has been raised by 8 percent to 11 percent, from Rp 5,100 and Rp 7,500 to Rp 5,700 and Rp 6,800 -- depending on water consumption.

A 6 percent increase, from Rp 9,750 to Ro 10,400 has been imposed on industrial and commercial enterprises, like hotels and restaurants. Customers classified as "special zone", including the Tanjung Priok port, are facing a 5 percent increase, to Rp 12,150 from Rp 11,500.

Sutiyoso said the rate paid by high-end customers had been too steep, so a slight increase for them had been decided upon.

"Since the tap water rates paid by the poor are cheaper than those paid by other poor residents in other cities across the country, like Semarang and Banjarmasin, we decide on a higher increase. I am sure they (Jakartans in the low-income bracket) will be able to afford the increase," he said.

The rate for low-income households and social and religious foundations in Semarang hovers at Rp 1,347, while in Banjarmasin in East Kalimantan it stands at Rp 948.

City Council speaker Ade Surapriatna said the council had rejected the increase as it burdened people in the low-income bracket.

"We are also opposed to the increase as the administration did not consult the council over the plan," he said.

He said the council had formed a team to study the tap water business in the city. The council is also seeking, through the team, to modify legislation issued by former speaker Agung Imam Sumanto -- whose term was from 1999 to 2004 -- that allows the administration to raise tap water rates every six months until 2007.

The latest increase is the second in a series of 10 planned raises, which were conceived as part of efforts to pay off city-owned tap water operator PAM Jaya's debts.

On Jan. 20, the administration covertly increased tap water rates by between 4 and 16 percent.

The company owes around Rp 600 billion to its two foreign partners, British PT Thames PAM Jaya and French PT PAM Lyonaisse Jaya, and Rp 1.6 trillion to the Ministry of Finance.

Palyja, a subsidiary of France's ONDEO (formerly Lyonaisse des Eaux) serves customers in the western part of Jakarta, while TPJ, a subsidiary of Britain's Thames Water International, supplies tap water to customers in the eastern part of Jakarta.

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Poor people pay more for water

Source: The Jakarta Post

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Lacking access to clean water in his neighborhood in Rawabuaya subdistrict, West Jakarta, Sunyoto, 45, has to spend up to 10 percent of his monthly income just to buy water from street vendors.

Like most of his neighbors, he buys a 20-liter jerry can of clean water from the vendor every day, which costs him Rp 1,000. The family use the water only for drinking and cooking.

"We have a well in our rented house, but the color of the water is yellowish. Although the water ruins our clothes, we have no choice but to use it for washing. Otherwise, most of our spending would be for water," the father of two said.

His monthly income is about Rp 500,000 (US$51.30), of which Rp 150,000 must be used for house rent. Luckily, both of his children are still under five and don't have to go to school.

The water vendors sell piped water supplied by PT Pam Lyonaisse Jaya (Palyja), the foreign partner of city owned water operator PT Pam Jaya which serves western part of the city.

Although the street vendors had yet to raise their price following the water tariff increase in early July, Sunyoto said he has no other choice but to spend more for water.

"Clean water is vital for my family," he said.

Currently, water supplied by PT Palyja and PT Thames Pam Jaya (TPJ), another foreign water operator serving the eastern part of the city, could only cover around 50 percent of clean water demands in the city.

Despite the poor service, water tariffs will keep on increasing every six months from 2005 until 2007, as part of efforts to pay off Pam Jaya's debts to the foreign partners.

The latest increase, effective on July 1, ranges from 5 percent for industrial, commercial premises and high-income area houses, up to 63 percent for low-income areas.

Previously, poor customers paid Rp 550 per cubic meter of water (one cubic meter is equal to 1,000 liters). Now they have to pay Rp 900 per cubic meter.

Although the hike led to public protests for putting heavier burdens on the poor, what they have to pay was still much cheaper than what Sunyoto's has to spend on water.

Sunyoto's neighbor Karno, 50, said he could get the same amount of clean water cheaper because he had the time and a cart to carry water cans home.

"The water operator sells water for only Rp 500 per 20 liters," he said.

Meanwhile, Mahdi, 50, a resident of Semanan subdistrict, also in West Jakarta, said that his family used underground water for all necessities. According to him, the water is of better quality compared to the underground water of his neighbors.

He feels safe consuming underground water although according to data from the City Health Agency, 90 percent of underground water in the city is contaminated by E. coli bacteria, a common cause of diarrheal diseases.

"Of course the water must be boiled before we drink it. It's much better than the pricey tap water which has been mixed with chemical substances," he added.

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Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Dark Waters

Source: The Jakarta Post




DARK WATERS: A scavenger rows his small boat across the blackish Grogol River in West Jakarta, collecting plastic bottles and other floating garbage worth selling. The city administration recruits scavengers for its river-cleaning program. (JP/P.J. Leo)

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Monday, July 04, 2005

Tarif Air Keluarga Miskin Naik 63 Persen (Water tariff for poor families rose by 63 percent)

Source: Media Indonesia



Media Indonesia - 02 Juli 2005

JAKARTA--MIOL: Tarif air minum untuk kelompok pelanggan I (panti asuhan) dan kelompok II (keluarga miskin) naik sekitar 63 persen dari Rp550/m3 menjadi Rp900/m3 yang berlaku mulai 1 Juli 2005.

"Saya sudah cari pembanding dengan melihat tarif air untuk golongan miskin di Semarang dan Surabaya, ternyata di Jakarta tetap lebih murah," kata Gubernur DKI Jakarta, Sutiyoso kepada wartawan di Balaikota, Jumat.

Tarif kelompok III A (rumah sederhana) naik Rp550/m3, kelompok IIIB (rumah menengah) dan IVA (rumah mewah) naik Rp600/m3 sedangkan kelompok pelanggan IVB dan Kelompok Khusus naik Rp650/m3.

English Translation

Jakarta -- MIOL: the drinking water tariff for the customer's group I (the orphanage) and the group Ii (the poor family) rose around 63 percent from Rp550/m3 to Rp900/m3 valid from July 1 2005.

"I have looked for the standard by seeing the water tariff for the poor group in Semarang and Surabaya, evidently in Jakarta stayed cheaper," said Special Capital District of Jakarta Governor, Sutiyoso to the reporter in the town hall, on Friday.

The group's III A tariff (the simple house) rose Rp550/m3, the IIIB group (the middle house) and IVA (the luxurious house) rose Rp600/m3 whereas the customer's group IVB and the Group Especially rose Rp650/m3.

Kenaikan tersebut berarti rata-rata tarif air naik 9,49 persen atau rata-rata tarif air menjadi Rp5.838, 62/m3.

Di tempat terpisah, Ketua Badan Regulator Pelayanan Air Minum DKI Jakarta, Ahmad Lanti menyebut kenaikan itu merupakan bagian dari program Penyesuaian Tarif Otomatis (PTO) sejak Januari 2005 yang akan berlangsung selama enam semester.

"Kenaikan ini adalah hasil rebasing (penghitungan ulang) yang panjang sejak 2003. PTO kali ini adalah untuk yang semester kedua," kata Lanti.

Dia menjelaskan dengan selesainya "rebasing" berarti tidak ada lagi alasan bagi mitra PAM Jaya yaitu TPJ (Thames PAM Jaya) dan PT Palyja untuk tidak memberi layanan penuh.

"Tidak ada lagi alasan mereka tidak punya dana sehingga tidak dapat memberi pelayanan penuh. Memang meningkatkan pelayanan tidak semudah membalik telapak tangan, tapi kini masyarakat dapat menuntut jika pelayanan tidak sesuai perjanjian," kata Lanti.

Indikator pelayanan antara lain tekanan air sekitar 0,75 Atm (dapat memancar 7,5 meter), kualitas memenuhi PermenKes No.416/1990 tentang Kualitas Air Bersih, respon keluhan pelanggan paling lambat 5 jam, lama perbaikan pipa tersier paling lambat 24 jam, sekunder 48 jam dan pipa primer 72 jam.

PD PAM Jaya saat ini merancang saluran "online" yang diperkirakan dapat beroperasi mulai Agustus 2005 untuk memonitor kinerja dua mitra mereka.

Dengan adanya saluran online di mana data-data TPJ dan Palyja dapat diakses PD PAM Jaya maka bukti-bukti jika kedua mitra tersebut tidak memenuhi perjanjian kerjasama akan lebih mudah didapat.

Mengenai kenaikan tersebut, Lanti mengatakan kenaikan tersebut dapat dipertanggungjawabkan secara finansial dan masih dalam tingkat kemampuan masyarakat.

Sebelum PTO, Badan Regulator melakukan sosialisasi termasuk temu pelanggan yang dilakukan di 19 kelurahan antara lain Kemayoran, Cempaka Putih, Gambir, Semper Timur, Tugu Utara, Kebon Bawang, Pademangan Barat, Karang Anyar, Pulo Gebang, Cipete Selatan.

"Hasil pertemuan adalah adanya keluhan kuantitas dan kualitas air, sistem administrasi, dan respon kelurahan," kata Lanti.

Analisis Badan Regulator menyebutkan dalam sebulan Kelompok pelanggan I dan II menggunakan air lebih dari 8.7 juta m3, Kelompok III A lebih dari 21 juta m3, kelompok III B lebih dari 9,7 juta m3, kelompok IV A lebih dari 8,7 juta m3, kebanyakan pelangaran menggunakan air lebih dari 20m3/bulan.

Dari pemakaian air tersebut, setiap bulan kelompok II menyetor lebih dari Rp9,66 miliar, Kelompok III A lebih dari Rp79,78 miliar, Kelompok III B Rp51,28 miliar dan Kelompok IV A memberi kontribusi Rp63,477 miliar.

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Masyarakat Masih Mengeluhkan Buruknya Pelayanan (Community continues to complain about bad service)

Source: Kompas




Kompas - 02 Juli 2005

Jakarta, Kompas - Terhitung mulai 1 Juli, tarif air minum di Jakarta naik lagi. Kenaikan secara berkala untuk semester kedua tahun 2005 itu sebesar 9,49 persen. Secara otomatis, tarif air akan naik setiap enam bulan sampai tahun 2007. Namun, sampai saat ini pelayanan terhadap masyarakat masih tetap buruk.

Gubernur DKI Jakarta Sutiyoso telah menyetujui kenaikan tarif air PAM itu. Besarnya kenaikan Rp 5.838 per meter kubik atau jauh lebih rendah yang diusulkan Badan Regulator Air Minum, yakni sebesar 18,1 persen.

English Translation

Jakarta, Kompas - was counted from July 1, the drinking water tariff in Jakarta rose again. The rise periodically during the second semester 2005 that as big as 9,49 percent. Automatically, the water tariff will rise every time six months up until 2007. However, until this the service towards the community was still staying bad.

Special Capital District of Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso agreed to the rise in Pam's water tariff. The Rp rise size 5,838 per cubic metre or far more lower that was proposed the Regulator's Body the Drinking Water, that is as big as 18,1 percent.


Di Balaikota, Jumat (1/7), Sutiyoso mengatakan, tarif air yang naik tidak akan memberatkan warga. Kenaikan itu harus dibarengi dengan peningkatan kualitas pelayanan, baku mutu air, dan tingkat kebocoran pipa air minum,kata Sutiyoso. Ia meminta agar masyarakat tidak mencuri atau membuat pipa ilegal akibat adanya kenaikan tarif.

Pemerintah Provinsi DKI telah menetapkan program penyesuaian tarif otomatis (PTO) air minum setiap enam bulan. Langkah itu mendapat persetujuan DPRD DKI periode 1999-2004.

Kenaikan yang ditetapkan melalui Surat Keputusan Gubernur DKI Nomor 138 tentang PTO tanggal 20 Januari 2005 itu merupakan kenaikan rata-rata untuk semua golongan pelanggan. PTO mulai diberlakukan per 1 Januari 2005 dan merupakan hasil proses re-basing (perhitungan ulang) sejak tahun 2003.

Pelayanan buruk

Kepala Badan Regulasi Pelayanan Air Minum Ahmad Lanti mengatakan, PAM Jaya bisa memberikan sanksi kepada operator air minum (PT Palyja dan PT TPJ) yang tak meningkatkan mutu pelayanan ke pelanggan.

Kenaikan tarif air tak sebanding dengan perbaikan pelayanan kepada masyarakat pelanggan. Selain air kotor, masyarakat juga mengeluhkan kucuran air yang hanya berupa tetesan dan mengalir pada tengah malam.

Buruknya kualitas pelayanan juga diakui PAM Jaya di mana distribusinya tak seimbang dengan kebutuhan konsumen. Dari 704.000 pelanggan, 11 persen di antaranya tidak mendapatkan air sama sekali.

Pengamat kebijakan publik dan konsumen, Agus Pambagio, mengatakan, peningkatan pelayanan tidak mungkin akan terjadi sejauh tidak ada subsidi dari pemerintah.

”Tarif air mau naik setiap bulan, tiga bulan, atau enam bulan sama saja. Tetapi, tidak akan ada peningkatan kalau pemerintah cuma membebani warga dan perusahaan pengelola air, jelas Agus Pambagio.

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Tinggi, Kebocoran PDAM Ciamis (High water losses, PDAM Ciamis)

Source: Pikiran Rakyat




Pikiran Rakyat - 28 Juni 2005

CIAMIS, (PR). Hasil audit yang dilakukan Badan Pemeriksa Keuangan dan Pembangunan (BPKP) Jabar menemukan tingkat kebocoran air milik Perusahaan Daerah Air Minum (PDAM) Ciamis, sudah jauh di atas rata-rata nasional. Kebocoran air PDAM Ciamis, sekarang mencapai 30,07 persen, sedangkan rata-rata nasional 20 persen.

Direktur Umum PDAM Ciamis, Ade Supriatna, ketika dikonfirmasi, "PR", Senin (27/6) membenarkan adanya peringatan dari BPKP Jabar soal tingkat kebocoran air PDAM Ciamis yang tinggi. Kondisi itu karena pipa penyalur air milik perusahaan ini, sudah rusak.

English Translation

Ciamis, (PR). Results of the audit that was carried out the Inspector's Body Finance and the Development (BPKP) West Java found the level of water loss belonging to the regional Company of the Drinking Water (PDAM) Ciamis, has been far above in general national. Water loss PDAM Ciamis, now reached 30,07 percent, whereas in general national 20 percent.

The Director was General PDAM Ciamis, Ade Supriatna, when dikonfirmasi, "PR", Monday (27/6) justified the existence of the warning from BPKP West Java the matter of the level of water loss of PDAM Ciamis that high. The condition because of the distributor's pipe of water belonging to this company, has been broken.


BPKP Jabar beberapa waktu lalu melakukan audit di perusahaan ini. Salah satu catatannya adalah masalah kebocoran air. Namun, Ade membantah kalau ada kebocoran keuangan, sebagaimana isu berkembang. "Kalau keuangannya, tidak ada. Tapi, dalam masalah kebocoran air," katanya.

Ada beberapa alasan, kenapa tingkat kebocoran air masih tinggi. "Selain pipa sudah rusak, ada 548 pencatat meteran milik pelanggan sudah rusak. Sehingga, tidak bisa terdeteksi berapa air yang digunakan pelanggan. Namun, untuk kerusakannya, sudah kita ganti sebanyak 500 buah. Diharapkan, bisa menekan angka kebocoran hingga dua persen," jelas Ade didampingi anggota Badan Pengawas PDAM, Koko Komarudin.

Koko menambahkan, masalah tingkat kebocoran air sudah lama menjadi catatan badan pengawas. Termasuk, dalam memori akhir masa jabatan badan pengawas, masalah kebocoran, harus segera ditangani dengan sebaik-baiknya.

"Di samping perbaikan sarana fisik yang rusak, juga mental pencatat penggunaan air ke pelanggan. Mental mereka juga harus benar-benar baik, yaitu jujur. Sehingga, tidak muncul main mata antara pelanggan dan pencatat untuk mengurangi penggunaan air," katanya.

"Kalau saja kebocoran itu bisa ditekan hingga 10%, bisa menambah 2.000 pelanggan. Atau dengan sendirinya, akan bisa mendapatkan tambahan penghasilan rata-rata Rp 60 juta dari pelanggan setiap bulannya," tegas Koko Komarudin.

Direktur Umum Ade Supriatna mengatakan penanganan kebocoran ini sangat sulit untuk diperbaiki. Alasannya, pipa utama yang ada yaitu pipa yang terbuat dari asbes. Sekarang pabrik yang membuat pipa seperti itu sudah tidak ada lagi sehingga jika terjadi kebocoran sulit diperbaiki. Kalaupun ditangani, hasilnya tidak maksimal.

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Antisipasi Kemarau, Disiapkan Cadangan Air Baku (Water meter problems)

Source: Suara Merdeka



Suara Merdeka - 24 Juni 2005

SEMARANG- Ribuan meteran air dan jaringan PDAM di berbagai wilayah, diketahui bermasalah. Untuk itu, perusahaan daerah tersebut merencanakan merehabilitasi meteran air dan jaringan tersebut dalam waktu lima tahun.

Penjelasan tersebut disampaikan Dirut PDAM Ir Agus Sutyoso MSi, Senin (20/6) saat bersama jajarannya melakukan inspeksi mendadak di beberapa wilayah. Dia menjelaskan, meteran air bermasalah tersebut antara lain buram, ditempatkan tersembunyi, dan pengukurannya sudah tidak akurat.

English Translation

Semarang- Thousands Of water meters and the PDAM network in various territories, it was known had problems. So this regional company planned to rehabilitate the water meter and this network in time five years.

This explanation was sent by the Managing Director PDAM Ir Agus Sutyoso MSi, on Monday (20/6) during with his rank did the sudden inspection in several territories.
He explained, this problematic water meter including the design, was placed was hidden, and his grating has been inaccurate.


Menurut dia, di Kota Semarang terdapat sekitar 134.000 pelanggan. Dari jumlah itu sekitar 15%, ternyata meteran airnya bermasalah. Meteran-meteran air semacam itu, antara lain terdapat di wilayah Semarang Utara di Perumahan Tanah Mas.

Warga di wilayah itu sering meninggikan rumah dan jalan untuk mengatasi persoalan rob. Akibatnya, pipa-pipa PDAM tertanam lebih dalam dan sulit dirawat. Selain itu letaknya juga banyak yang tertutup.

''Kami akan memperbaiki jaringan dan meteran air seperti itu. Namun, itu membutuhkan waktu lama, yakni sekitar empat sampai lima tahun,'' kata dia.

Air Baku

Saat diminta memberikan penjelasan tentang pasokan air baku untuk Instalasi Pengolahan Air (IPA) PDAM di Kelurahan Kudu, Kecamatan Genuk, diperkirakan bakal turun, menyusul datangnya musim kemarau. PDAM dan Dinas PSDA Jateng melakukan berbagai upaya antisipasi, antara lain mempersiapkan cadangan air baku untuk memasok IPA tersebut.

Agus Sutyoso menjelaskan, setiap hari IPA Kudu memperoleh pasokan air baku dari Waduk Klambu di Kabupaten Grobogan. Sedangkan Waduk Klambu memperoleh air dari Waduk Kedungombo. Pada musim kemarau tahun-tahun lalu, pasokan air dari Waduk Klambu untuk IPA Kudu mengalami penurunan. Hal itu mengakibatkan produksi IPA terbesar di Kota Semarang itu juga turun.

''Hingga hari ini (kemarin-Red), kami masih menggunakan pasokan air baku dari Bendung Klambu. Namun jika pasokan menurun, kami telah mempersiapkan cadangannya,'' ucap dia.

Suplesi atau cadangan air baku tersebut diambil dari Jatijajar, Gubug, Rowo Gubug, dan Semarang Oasther Leideng di Karangawen. Total pasokan air baku dari ke empat suplesi tersebut, sekitar 600 liter per detik sampai 800 liter per detik. Sementara pada saat normal, pasokan ke IPA tersebut sudah sekitar 950 liter per detik.

Staf Ahli Direksi PDAM RHS Heru Binowo menambahkan, pada saat musim hujan Waduk Klambu memasok air baku sekitar 1.500 liter per detik ke IPA Kudu. Namun dari jumlah itu, air yang masuk ke IPA hanya sekitar 950 liter per detik.

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Residents, YLKI oppose water rate hike

Source: The Jakarta Post

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Immediately after moving into a 400-square-meter house in Karet Kuningan, South Jakarta, in 2003, Sugeng applied for a tap water connection with city water company PAM Jaya.

She hoped the connection would ensure a daily supply of clean water for her family of five.

Sugeng, however, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that she was extremely disappointed with the company's service.

"Last month, the tap water stopped flowing for three days. No official came to explain why. I could not just wait so I decided to hire someone to dig a well, bought a water pump and a water sanitizer," said Sugeng, adding that the work cost her more than Rp 2 million.

Dapot Rolan Simandjutak in Cilincing, North Jakarta, had an even worse experience.

The tap water stopped running to his 100-square-meter house for a week, forcing him to buy sanitized water from a vendor. Every day during the week, he spent Rp 700 for every 10 liters of water from the vendor.

The following month Simandjutak received a bill from PAM Jaya for Rp 100,000, far more than the Rp 30,000 to Rp 50,000 he usually paid each month.

"I went to PAM Jaya's office to protest. I told them I usually paid between Rp 30,000 and Rp 50,000 a month. They said one of their employees had made a mistake in reading the meter," Simandjuntak told the Post on Saturday.

Despite the inferior service, the city administration raised the water rate for poor households on Friday from Rp 550 per meter cubic to Rp 900, an increase of 63 percent.

While the water rate was raised 63 percent for low-income households, middle and upper-income residents and commercial enterprises will only be required to pay between 6 percent and 17 percent more for their water.

The lowest rate increase went to special zones, including Tanjung Priok Port, where the rate went up only 5 percent.

The hikes were part of a memorandum of understanding signed by the Jakarta administration and private tap water companies PT Thames PAM Jaya and PT Lyonnaise Jaya (Palyja) on the repayment of the city's debts of Rp 600 billion to the companies.

Water rates were also raised last February by between 4 percent and 16 percent, effective as of January 2005.

Palyja, a subsidiary of France's ONDEO (formerly Lyonaisse des Eaux) serves customers in western Jakarta, while TPJ, a subsidiary of Britain's Thames Water International, supplies tap water to customers in eastern Jakarta.

Both Sugeng and Simandjutak were unhappy with the increases but told the Post they could do nothing about it.

"I accept the decision, but only if the water keeps running to my house. If it does not I will cancel my PAM connection and buy water from next door," Simandjuntak said.

Indah Suksmaningsih, chairwoman of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI), denounced the increases and demanded the Jakarta administration review its cooperation with its private partners, PT Thames PAM Jaya, and PT Lyonnaise Jaya.

"Rather than increasing rates, the Jakarta administration should review its cooperation with its private partners because they have not shown any significant improvement in providing good service," the YLKI chairwoman said.

Indah said she had received reports that many PAM customers in West and North Jakarta were not receiving water despite having tap water connections.

"About 11 percent of the total number of customers have not received water. But they still pay a monthly service charge," said Indah.

Indah said the administration must review its cooperation agreement with the two private companies because many of the targets contained in the agreement had not been achieved.

"The administration should review the cooperation. If it brings more losses than profit, cancel it," she said.

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