Kalimalang River Pollution

Water is the source of life on this earth, all human beings depend on water. But
at this time the quality and quantity of water decreases dramatically, this is due to
pollution made by humans, from domestic and industrial waste. The increasing
population and poor condition of the rivers which are the resources of raw water for
water supply in the capital city has caused water becomes more expensive. An
example is Saluran Tarum Barat, also called Kalimalang river, located in East Jakarta.
People who lives on the riverbanks are littering, defecating, washing and bathing in
Kalimalang. Those activities can be seen everyday by everyone who passed the
Kalimalang highway. Besides that, factories which are mostly located in Bekasi also
giving bad contributions to the water quality in Kalimalang river by dumping its
waste directly into the river. Whereas Kalimalang river; besides Ciliwung river,
Kalibaru and Krukut; is one of four sources of raw water to be distributed to Jakarta,
including Bekasi city and Bekasi district. The raw water are taken and proceed by
PDAM (Perusahaan Daerah Air Minum), owned by the goverment, which later will
be distributed to all PDAM consumers lives in Jakarta and Bekasi.
In accordance with provision number 33 verse 3 which saying that Earth and
water and natural riches contained therein controlled by the state and used for at-large
public welfare, so it means Kalimalang river is an open access. But in the process of
processing the raw water from Kalimalang river into drinking water which are
distributed to all PDAM consumer, the nature of the ownership has changed to be a
common property rights owned by the PDAM and the two operators namely Aetra Air
(Aetra) and PT PAM Jaya Lyonnase (Palyja), both of them are private companies.
With open access nature, there is no property rights at all and usually it creates
problem because everyone carelessly using the river as they want, without thinking
about anyone else who actually have the right to this river, which are the PDAM
consumer. They doing this because they think the water belongs to the state so all
citizen are free to use it as they like. This behavior has led to the emergence of
negative externalities that harm all the PDAM consumers in Jakarta area. There are
two externalities emerged from this. Poor quality of water that must be managed by
two operators of PDAM, which requires them for using more chemicals to purify
water to be suitable for consumption by consumers, because of that the production
costs will increase and that cost will be burdened to the concumers, so they have to
paid higher price for the drinking water. Moreover, the pollution could also hamper
the production processes of clean water because the raw water obtained are not
suitable for consumption. Besides harm the PDAM consumers, it also harm the
operators because the water supply will decrease and the consumers complaints
because they already pay the water but not receiving adequate services due to reduced
water supplies.
There are several ways to solve those problems. First, the construction of the
siphon (water tunnel or aqueduct). This has already been stated a few years before and
finally approved by the government and will start work in June 2010. The aim for this
development is to separate the Kalimalang water from Bekasi river. This siphon will
maintain the quality of water from Kalimalang which is the source of raw water for
PDAM, in Jakarta and Bekasi. Second, government provide a place that serves as a
special disposal of industrial waste. In order for factories to dispose their waste there,
government can provide an incentives system such as a tax cuts for the factories that
dispose their waste to that place and give a punishment like impose double taxation
for those who break the regulation. The government also built a special facility which
is free for people who lives on the riverbanks to do their daily activities like bathing,
defecating and washing, and also provides a garbage dispossal. That facility can be
obtained for free on one condition, that all people who lives on the riverbanks
maintain a healthy environment, and the local governments will inspects the area
regularly. And third, impose tougher sanctions to parties that perform environmental
pollution so that it gives a deterrent effect to the perpetrators.