Indonesia is likely to fall short of achieving its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of significantly improving access to clean water and sanitation facilities by 2015, warns the Association of All Indonesian Tap Water Companies (Perpamsi).

Poor clean water management, leakages and wasteful use of water are likely to cause the failure, it added.

Perpamsi head, Achmad Marju Kodri, told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the 11th Tap Water Company Conference in Batam, Riau Islands, on Wednesday that Indonesia had set its MDG target to ensure that 80 percent of urban dwellers and 60 percent of rural communities, which make up the total population, would have sustainable access to clean water by 2015.

However, the target is challenging as currently only 40 percent of urban residents and 30 percent of rural residents have access to potable water, he added.

“Indonesia definitely cannot reach its MDG target in terms of reducing the number of people without access to clean water due to various obstacles, such as poor clean water management and wasteful use of water. It also depends on the goodwill of the government,” said Kodri.

He said that only 60 percent of urban dwellers and 40 percent of rural residents in Indonesia would have access to drinking water.

“Cases of pipe leakages in Indonesia have reached 32 percent, people remain wasteful and most of the state-run tap water company (PDAM) heads in the regions are less professional, so much so that clean water supplies to residents are still ineffective and unequal,” said Kodri.

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The Jakarta Post  |  Wed, 12/02/2009 |  National