Quality of water, sanitation and public welfare

People think that water pollution only occurs in cities where the population is dense and there are many industrial plants.

However, a study conducted by Amrta Institute for Water Literacy at the beginning of 2008 in Bantul regency, Yogyakarta, indicated that water samples taken from a water source used by local people for their daily use contained E-coli bacteria twice to 32 times more than the level tolerated by the Health Ministry.

This means that small towns and villages that were once described as healthy and green areas are now polluted.

This finding is likely to be the tip of the iceberg on the pollution level of water in small towns and villages in Indonesia. So, it is highly possible that the level of water pollution there is similar to that in major cities in the country. One of the reasons is that industries are also present in the countryside and household waste also creates major water pollution and sanitation problems.

Generally, water pollution has three main causes. First, industrial waste containing heavy metals, second, household waste that can cause epidemic diseases, and third, farming waste that contains pesticides and chemical fertilizers flowing into rivers and reservoirs as well as seeping into groundwater.

Poor sanitation contributes significantly to water pollution. Household waste, for example from toilets and laundry detergents, seeps into groundwater without due process. Then the groundwater acquired from drilled wells is again used for household purposes. Many people mistakenly regard the water as clean water.

The quality of groundwater naturally becomes worse if the septic tank is not in good condition, it leaks or does not absorb well. It is also not recommended to have a septic tank too close to a well.

A survey conducted by the Economic Impacts of Sanitation in Southeast Asia by the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program published in November 2007, states that about 94 million people in Indonesia (about 43 percent of the country's population) do not have their own sanitary toilets.

The data indicates that sanitation is a major problem here because almost half of the population gets rid of their human waste directly into the rivers, drainage system, backyard and so on.

It comes as no surprise, therefore, that the survey claims that poor sanitation in Indonesia results in at least 120 million cases of disease and causes 50,000 premature deaths every year. The financial cost of this is as much as Rp 29 trillion (about US$3.3 billion). Just compare this figure with the 2009 state budget of Rp 1.1 trillion.

Although the government understands the negative effects of water pollution, to date it has not made it a top priority.

It seems that the government is forgetting that public health is important to public welfare and that it is just as important as providing education, clothing, food and housing.

The low level of government attention to this matter is reflected not only in the related laws and regulations, but also in the allocated budget for sanitation improvement. For the past 30 years, according to National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) records as per 2008, the allocated budged for sanitation is only Rp 7.7 trillion per year, which means only Rp 200 per capita. The ideal figure, again according to Bappenas, for access to good sanitation is Rp 47,000 per capita per year.

The Public Works Ministry, which handles most of the allocated budget, also attends to the matter in a by-the-way manner. According to Bappenas, the ministry received a Rp 96.1 trillion 2008 budget, but only Rp 2.3 trillion was actually used to develop clean water and good sanitation, while the figure for sanitation construction itself was only Rp 500 billion!

The solution to the sanitation problem does not depend solely on the available or allocated budget. The public should also be forced to get involved via proper law enforcement. In fact, any violation by individuals or companies is addressed in Law No. 7/2004, while Article 16 of the law clearly specifies punishment and fines. However, no violation has been processed using this law.

The Constitution states that water and other natural resources must be managed and used for the welfare of the people. Before amendments to the Constitution, which resulted in 20 percent of the state budget being allocated to education, it recommended that water and other natural resources be prioritized.

Therefore, it is only natural that the central government along with the provincial administrations and legislative bodies should coordinate with each other for the effective implementation of the aforementioned law. Every source of water pollution and poor sanitation must be addressed, be it caused by industrial plants, households or farming areas. Provincial bylaws may be required.

Honestly, we must admit that the issue of water pollution and good sanitation is not properly addressed, because it seems it is not a popular issue.

Even in the lead up to the legislative elections, which would be an opportune moment to draw public attention and interest, no candidate has said a word about water pollution or good sanitation. It is very likely that it will not be among the popular issues during this year's presidential election either.

The writer is director of Amrta Institute for Water Literacy. Nila Ardhianie

Post Date : 22 Maret 2009