YLKI Says Majority Of Residents Accept PAM Jaya Tariffs To Increase If Water Quality Is Improved

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JAKARTA - The Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YLKI) conducted a survey on the views of Jakarta residents on the use of clean water in PAM Jaya's piping amid plans to increase water rates.

The survey was conducted in five administrative cities in Jakarta. Each location is 10 respondents, and all categories are household consumers.

Based on the opinion of the customer, as many as 60 percent of respondents felt that the current PAM rate was reasonable, 26 percent considered it expensive, 8 percent looked cheap, 4 percent said it was too expensive, and 2 percent said it was very cheap.

The Chairperson of the YLKI Daily Management, Tulus Abadi, said that the majority or 60 percent of respondents basically had no problem if the water tariff had increased.

However, PAM Jaya must also improve the quality of the water distributed through the piping network.

"A total of 60 percent of respondents agree if there is a tariff adjustment but must be balanced with improving quality and service. This means that on the other hand 40 percent do not agree with the tariff increase," Tulus said in his statement, Friday, December 27.

In residents' response to the quality and quantity of water, as much as 26 percent felt that water smelled, 22 percent felt water had a taste, 20 percent felt sticky water, 16 percent felt water was colored.

Then, 12 percent felt that there was sediment or not clear water, 32 percent felt that the water flow pressure was not strong enough, and 12 percent of the water quantity was not enough for daily needs.

"This indicates that there are still classic problems at the managerial level, both from the upstream and downstream sides, which ultimately have an impact on services," said Tulus.

Thus, Tulus recommended that Perumda PAM Jaya be able to improve and maintain the reliability of the quality of the piping water they serve. In addition, in the discourse of increasing tariffs, PAM Jaya must also consider the condition of its customers.

"If there is a new tariff policy, then taking sides with this group must be strong, namely paying attention to the aspect of their purchasing power," he added.