For Decades Living In East Jakarta, It Turns Out That There Are Still Residents Who Have Experienced A Clean Water Crisis

Residents get clean water/ Photo: Rizky Sulistio/ VOI

JAKARTA - Residents of scavenger villages located on Jalan Asem Nirbaya, RT 15/02, Pinang Ranti Village, Makasar District, East Jakarta, have experienced a clean water crisis for decades. To get the clean water, residents were forced to buy gallon water refilled.

"The water is not good, oily and cloudy. So if you want to drink, buy gallons of water refilled," said Ida (57) to VOI at the location, Friday, October 27.

Ida said that she had felt the difficulty of getting clean water since 35 years ago she lived in the area.

"It's hard to get water from the time I lived here, it was 35 years ago. I'm here to live a long time," he said.

This condition has been exacerbated by the recent dry season. Groundwater, which is usually used by residents for bathing and washing activities, is now starting to get cloudy, oily and emitting odors.

"The water here is just for bathing and washing, that's why my clothes are dirty. In my house the water is cloudy. My clothes are yellow (corrupted)," he said.

However, the long wait for scavengers to get clean water can only be realized after the East Jakarta Metro Police provide 15,000 liters of clean water to residents.

Hundreds of residents of RT 15/RW 02, Pinang Ranti Village, Makasar District, East Jakarta, flocked to queue for water in a clean water tank using empty gallon containers. They are happy when they get clean water distribution from three water tankers.

"We provide distribution of clean water and distribution of basic necessities to residents in Pinang Ranti Village. The distribution of clean water is to help people who lack clean water due to the impact of the dry season," said East Jakarta Metro Police Chief, Kombes Leo Simarmata.

Kombes Leonardus said that his party not only provided clean water to residents of Pinang Ranti Village, but in the future other areas in East Jakarta that experienced water difficulties.

"We will look for other areas that have difficulty with clean water. We will supply clean water," he said.