Govt to Improve Water Supply Infrastructure

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Indonesian government will improve the infrastructure and facilities of clean water supply, and repair the irrigation system, National Development Planning Minister Armida Alisjahbana has said.

Coordination between the central and regional governments must be intensified for the improvement of clean water supply infrastructure and irrigation system, the minister, who is concurrently the head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), said here Thursday.

The country's clean water supply coverage reaches 55 percent currently.

"The target of clean water pipe network is 68 percent by 2015, and now it is 55 percent at the average. So there is a gap of 13 percent that we have to cover," she said.

A total budget amounting Rp65.27 trillion comprising Rp12 trillion from the government and Rp53.27 trillion from investors, is needed to achieve the target of 68.87 percent in clean water supply coverage.

Chairman of the Association of Clean Water Supply Companies in Indonesia (PERPAMSI) Syaiful last year said the country`s 410 clean water companies were able to supply clean water in urban areas at 41.88 percent and in rural areas at 13.9 percent, or at the average of 27 percent. (IGT)