Govt Failing on Clean Water Crisis

Sumber:The Jakarta Post - 22 Agustus 2007
Kategori:Air Minum
The government has acknowledged its policy on water and environmental health has not been properly implemented despite a serious clean water crisis across the country.

Officials said Tuesday the bureaucratic failing was due to budget constraints.

"It is not easy to implement the policy on water and environmental health due to lots of constraints, including a limited budget and a lack of participation from related stakeholders," said Basah Hernowo, director of settlement and housing at the National Development Agency.

Basah said the budget was a political decision that needed to be made a priority -- a move for which the central government was responsible.

The government announced an 11-point national policy in 2003 on potable water and sanitation but to-date the policy has not been properly implemented.

The policy said water was a social and economic commodity requiring environmentally friendly development, a "pro-poor approach" and public participation.

Basah said greater public awareness was needed along with concrete measures from all stakeholders to assist the government to implement its policy.

"We're only behind the desk and we've given local administrations the authority to put the policy into action," he said.

Indonesia has a nationwide water problem encompassing quality and quantity. Underground water is the country's main source of clean water, but it is often contaminated with nitrite from pesticides as well as Escherichia coli bacteria due to poor rural and urban sanitation systems.

It is estimated some 100 million Indonesians do not have access to clean water or proper sanitation.

A water and sanitation specialist from the International partnership of Water Sanitation Program (WSP), Sofyan Iskandar, said the water crisis was affecting urban and rural areas equally.

"Our recent research in West Nusa Tenggara shows that from hundreds of springs, only a few produce clean water."

Sofyan said the implementation of the water and sanitation policy was hampered due to budget problems and low awareness from communities and local administration.

"What we have to do is strengthening awareness about the severe water crisis," he said.

"People should begin applying good sanitation (practices) and they must preserve water resources.

"Local administrations should encourage people to take part in their programs."

Sofyan said the urban water crisis was caused by uncontrolled construction, while the rural crisis was thanks to mass de-forestation.

In an effort to improve coordination among all stakeholders regarding water resource reservation and environmental health issues, a communication forum has been established.

The forum includes representatives from the government, private sectors, universities, non-governmental organizations, business associations, mass media and water operators.

The forum is expected to reinforce water and sanitation issues by exchanging information, knowledge, research results and experience.

It is also expected to provide the government with information and advice and should see an increased public awareness via campaigns, workshops and public discussion. Desy Nurhayati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Post Date : 22 Agustus 2007