Overcoming Annual Drought Disasters, Bekasi Regency Government Frees 1,000 PDAM Connections

Acting Bekasi Regent Dani Ramdan (right) accompanied by PDAM President Director Tirta Bhagasasi Usep Rahman Salim (left) provided clean water assistance in Cibarusah District, Friday (1/1/2023). (Doc. ANTARA)

BEKASI Regency - As a long-term solution to overcome the annual drought, the Bekasi Regency Government, West Java frees the cost of installing 1,000 direct clean water connections of PDAM Tirta Bhagasasi for residents affected by drought in the Cibarusah District.

Bekasi Regent Dani Ramdan said this solution was taken to prevent the impact of drought during the dry season, especially in the Cibarusah District, which is the worst drought-subscribed area every year.

"This is because Cibarusah is like this every year, last year the main pipe was installed to the points of the village office where we will facilitate the water network to go directly to people's homes," he said in Cikarang, Saturday.

He admitted that the geographical conditions of the Cibarusah area, especially in the three worst-affected villages affected by drought, namely Ridhogalih, Ridhomanah, and Sinarjati, were a challenge for local governments to realize the installation of this direct clean water connection.

Pipanisasi jalur air ke rumah warga yang memiliki jarak relatif jauh antara satu rumah dengan kepada lainnya serta dikelilingi kontur tekilan batu tejaran itu membutuhkan biaya investasi yang cukup besar.

"The distance between houses is far away, it is not collected at one point so it requires a long pipeline network. The ability of residents is also limited, so I instruct the installation of free connections to reach 1,000 or if it is still less, it can be added to 2,000 depending on the results of the assessment of how many families are assisted. So that later there will be no more incidents of lack of clean water as it is today," he said, reported by ANTARA, Saturday, September 2.

Dani even requested that the pipeline be carried out this year given the urgent need for clean water. "Alhamdulillah, PDAM can handle the capital costs first. If it is related to capital participation, it will be for pipelines and clean water network connections to all residents affected by drought in other sub-districts as well," he said.

PDAM President Director Tirta Bhagasasi Usep Rahman Salim said the clean water distribution network had entered the three villages but only 500 families had become company customers.

"PDAM Tirta Bhagasasi will provide 1,000 to 2,000 direct PDAM connections for free which will later be financed by the Bekasi Regency Government Budget in 2024. We will use the company's capital costs first so that this year can be realized," he said.

The prospective family receiving direct air connection from the Bekasi Regency Government is a suggestion from the local village government based on the results of the assessment of a number of indicators, including low-income people as well as users of low-capacity electricity networks.

"Ready to be realized while waiting for the proposal for the results of the village government's assessment because the main pipe is also available, it remains only to be prepared for those who go to residents' homes. The budget allocation is based on the needs of around Rp. 6 billion. During the process, we continue to distribute clean water assistance every day because this is part of the service," he concluded.