Public Service Delivery: Water Crises in Jakarta

This week issue of public service delivery management is about water crises in Jakarta, Indonesia. The main problem is: raw water. Supply of raw water is not enough. As reported by Republika (6-5-2010), for western part of Jakarta, supply of raw water from two water-treatment plants (IPA1, IPA2) were decreased. Parallel case for eastern part of the city, raw water to be treat in IPA Buaran its quality was polluted, due to the rate of ammonium (1.7 ppm, while tolerable standard is 0.5 ppm). Due to these raw water problem of quantity and quality, around 40% of customer of water supply in Jakarta are suffered.

Reaction of the consumers (Republika, 7-5-2010), they will issue a class action to the authority concerning the problem. They have discussed its possibility with some NGOs and law office. As mentioned by YLKI (Indonesian Consumer Advocate Foundation), consumers have right for doing that action based on Law no 8/1999.

The operators already response actually to the crises. In some areas they send water by mobile water thanks. It is just for emergency response. For long term the authority thought about looking alternative sources of raw water, since one of the main problem shortage of raw water.

Jakarta water supply is too dependent on two main sources: Kanal Barat Citarum, and Tangerang. (Harian Tempo, 7-5-2010). For the long term, Jakarta municipality just thought about another source of raw water: water recycle. But it is still too early to talk about.

The other problems are: electricity which sometimes also shutdown; maintenance of water supply infrastructures; quick emergency response and public relation to explain the problems to the people or consumers. Another public relation tasks is to explain to the people about organization aspect, especially about relation between DKI Jakarta with water supply operators, so that consumer will know to express their complaints. Water supply role is vital for public service in urban area, so that public service delivery management for water supply system need a strategic concern from the local leader. [Risfan Munir, Senior Public Service Management Specialist]