Govt to tender Jakarta tap water pipeline in 2011

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 12/22/2010

The Public Works Ministry says it will hold a tender on a tap water pipeline project in July of 2011 to ensure Jakarta’s water supply.

The 58-kilometer pipeline will connect Jatiluhur dam in Purwakarta to a water treatment facility in Buaran, East Jakarta.

“Jakartans are now facing a tap water crisis, so we have to speed up the tender,” Rahmad Karnadi, the Public Works Ministry official in charge of the tender, said on Wednesday.

Rahmad said the project would require at least Rp 2 trillion (US$ 222 million) in investments.

“Construction will start in 2012 and will be completed by 2014,” Rahmad said.

He said he expected the government to allocate money to subsidize the pipeline construction.

“We need subsidies to lower the tap water rate to Rp 2,500 per cubic meter. That is affordable for most people,” Rahmad said.

He added that the current rate was Rp 4,000 per cubic meter.