Jakarta Coastal Residents Lament Lack of Clean Water Supply

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Residents of the Marunda Kepu fishers’ village in Jakarta’s northern coastal area have undergone a clean water crisis to this day. A fisherman from the village, Tiharom, recalled the lack of clean water supply system installation by the Jakarta provincial government. 

“The water crisis in Marunda currently enters its fourth month without any serious handling from Aetra and PAM Jaya (city-owned tap water provider),” Tiharom wrote in a text message to Tempo on August 29.

The clean water crisis in the coastal area has occurred since April 14, 2022. According to Tiharom,  there are 400 households (KK) who are residents of RT 008 and 009 and RW 007, Marunda Village, Cilincing District.

The Clean Water Committee for Marunda Kepu (KAUM) has sent letters to the Director of PAM Jaya, the President Director of PT Aetra Air Jakarta, and the Chairman of the East Jakarta Aetra Employee Cooperative (ATJ).

The letter stated that the clean water service from PAM Jaya or Aetra or the ATJ Employee Cooperative to the residents of Marunda Kepu had been very bad, unprofessional, and disappointing.

"Additionally, the response from the company to citizen complaints had been very sluggish and immeasurable," the letter reads.

The manager is said to have made repair efforts on May 23 this year, but did not provide any results. According to KAUM's letter, PT Aetra and PAM Jaya have also distributed clean water by providing four tanks of water from trucks.

However, the volume of water is not enough for Marunda Kepu residents who need 6-7 tanks per day. It is feared that the water crisis and the lack of distribution will trigger clashes between residents because of fighting over water. 

"This situation is certainly far from the jargon of the Governor of Jakarta who has a vision of ‘developed city, happy citizens."

Earlier in May this year, the President of the Indonesian Trade Unions Confederation (KSPI) Said Iqbal quipped Governor Anies Baswedan’s stand on the issue of clean water during the commemoration of Labor Day. He argues that Anies failed to provide affordable clean water for North Jakarta residents.

"The governor of Jakarta has not succeeded. The price of 1 liter of clean water is more expensive than the price of oil," he said during a press conference at GBK Jakarta, Saturday, May 14.

Procurement of clean water became one of Anies Baswedan's work programs during the campaign for the 2017 Jakarta Gubernatorial Election. "Currently Jakarta, the biggest problem with a tremendous impact is clean water," said Anies when visiting Semanan Village, Kalideres, West Jakarta, Monday, November 7, 2016.

During Baswedan’s political campaign, he planned to double the flow of clean water pipes to homes within five years while pipeline installation will also be carried out in a number of villages that have difficulty obtaining clean water. He also plans to subsidize up to 80 percent of people who own houses with an area of less than 70 square meters.

LANI DIANA WIJAYA

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