PDAM Services In 6 Disrupted Kupang Villages, NTT Ombudsman: Clean Water Indicators Of Poverty And Malnutrition

Illustration of the provision of clean water from PDAM. (Between-Igoy S)

The Ombudsman Representative for East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) said that six urban villages in Kupang City lacked clean water supplied by the Kupang City Regional Drinking Water Company (PDM).

"The NTT Ombudsman has received complaints from residents from six urban villages in Kupang City who complained about the absence of clean water," said Head of the NTT Ombudsman Representative Darius Beda Daton in Kupang, Tuesday, July 1, as reported by Antara.

The six urban villages in question are Liliba, West Oesapa, Nefonaek, Oebobo, Tuak Daun Merah, and Pasir Panjang Villages.

Darius said he had discussed with the President Director of PDAM Kupang City, Daniel Fredik Maro, to submit the complaint.

"Some of the urban villages are not provided with clean water for consumption throughout the year," said Darius.

He said that PDAM is a regional company that is managed with professional business principles, even though the availability of clean water for residents should not be calculated with profit and loss calculations.

"Clean water is one indicator of poverty and malnutrition so it should be the government's responsibility to find alternative solutions," said Darius Beda Daton.

According to him, PDAM as the operator assigned to supply clean water maximizes services by meeting water needs in six affected villages, such as collaborating with the Regional Public Service Agency for the NTT Province Drinking Water Supply System (BLUD SPAM) which manages Tilong dams.

In addition, he said, the Kupang City PDAM could rent drill wells belonging to residents in six affected villages so that the supply of clean water for the needs of other residents could be met.

"One of the tasks and functions of BLUD SPAM is to provide services to the community in the form of providing bulk drinking water that is sold without prioritizing profits and developing a bulk drinking water supply system that meets the requirements of quality, quantity and continuity to the community," said Darius.

Darius explained that the Tilong Dam managed by the NTT Province BLUD SPAM has a production capacity of 150 liters/second with service capabilities of 15,000 house connections (SR) or the equivalent of 75,000 residents.

"One of the tasks and functions of BLUD SPAM is to provide services to the community in the form of providing bulk drinking water that is sold without prioritizing profits and developing a bulk drinking water supply system that meets the requirements of quality, quantity and continuity to the community," he said.

Based on information from PDAM Kupang City, said Darius, drinking water services from BLUD SPAM to Kupang City have not been maximized, causing a cooperation agreement (PKS) between PDAM Kupang City and BLUD SPAM NTT Province in just three months.

Furthermore, he explained that another factor that hampered the distribution of water to residents was the time the BLUD SPAM service claimed to be out of power in Tulung without anticipation.

"So the continuity requirements have not been met by the BLUD SPAM so this becomes the object of customer complaints which leads to the burden of water account arrears every month. Customers are reluctant to pay because the clean water supply is not smooth, causing quite a large receivable subscription and detrimental to PDAM," he concluded.