Govt to build 10 million new tap water pipelines

Jakarta. Leading the meeting on local tap water company (PDAM) today at the Vice President’s Office, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that the government targeted to build 10 million more tap water pipelines by 2019 throughout Indonesia, the construction of which is managed by PDAM in each region.

In response to this, Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro who was also attending the meeting reported to the Vice President there are some PDAMs which are still burdened with debt from the central government.

To those local water companies, the minister added, government offered two options, which are diverting PDAM’s debt to local administration and debt elimination.

The Vice President was more inclined to choose the latter option.

“This is to increase the capital for the local administrations,” he said.

Mr Kalla then reminded the pipeline construction must put forward quality.

“The whole components for the project must be ISO standardized, and at least 95 percent of materials used must be of local produce,” he said.

Also attending the meeting were Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) chairman Ardan Adiperdana, and some majors and regents, heads of PDAM from some regions, and the Indonesian State Tap Water Company Association (Perpamsi) chairman Rudi Kusmayadi.