Tap water flows to Gwe Nio’s house in Villa Tomang Baru Housing, Tangerang District, with brownish color, mix of sand particles, and earthy smell from September to October 2023. She is not the only one, many residents experience similar problem. This water cloudiness occurs after a prolonged dry season in Indonesia.
It is water from the Regional Public Drinking Water Company (PERUMDAM). Many residents complain about this problem, including Gwe Nio. For more than twenty years, Gwe Nio has relied on Tirta Kerta Raharja PERUMDAM for daily needs like washing clothes, dishes, and bathing. In the past, the water was clear and clean. However, everything changed in October 2023, when a long dry season strucked.
“Yes, the water is cloudy. It has been like this for two weeks,” Gwe Nio said when we visited her home on Wednesday (11/8/2023). While the water murky, Gwe Nio had to undergo a time-consuming process to obtain clean water. She usually lets the water settle until it is clear before using it. She can not use it immediately. After the water becomes clear, then she uses it for rinsing clothes or other needs.
Furthermore, she felt the physical impact of the water cloudiness, namely itching all over her body. “It is very itchy, to the point I cannot sleep at night. Finally, I went to the community health center and bought medicine to relieve the itching,” Gwe Nio lamented. Gwe Nio tried using a water filter as a solution, although she doubted its effectiveness. “Usually, I filter it using a cloth, but the water remains cloudy, not clean. I am not sure if it really helps, but I still filter it,” she added.
As a consumer entitled to clean water quality, Gwe Nio did not receive the expected water quality. Yet, she regularly pays PERUMDAM bills of about 40,000 to 60,000 Rupiah each month. She also mentioned never receiving information or compensation from PERUMDAM regarding the water cloudiness issue.
The water cloudiness is not only in Villa Tomang Baru Housing but also in Kutabumi 2 Housing, Tangerang District. Residents in both areas struggle with cloudy water at different times—some only at night, others throughout the day.
The main cause of this clean water crisis is the long drought wave hitting Indonesia, worsened by the El Niño phenomenon. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) revealed that three climatic phenomena occurred simultaneously, making September the peak of the drought in 2023. El Niño, an anomaly in the Pacific Ocean’s temperature, contributes to a global decrease in rainfall, including in Indonesia. Its impact is particularly strong during the dry season, especially from July to October. BMKG identified a significant decrease in rainfall, triggered by moderate El Niño conditions.
Additionally, the equinox phenomenon also affects this situation. According to the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), the equinox occurs when the sun crosses the equator, causing equal duration of day and night. This phenomenon, coinciding with the peak of the dry season, increases air temperatures in Indonesia, especially in October.
The long dry season significantly impacts the Cisadane River, the primary water source for PERUMDAM Tirta Kerta Raharja in Tangerang District. The decrease in rainfall not only reduces the river’s water volume but also disrupts underground water flow. Consequently, particles and sediment accumulate at the river’s bottom, making the remaining water more concentrated with dissolved substances. This leads to a decline in the quality of water processed by PERUMDAM Tirta Kerta Raharja, evident from residents’ complaints about brown tap water and potential health risks.
Besides visiting residents of Villa Tomang Baru Housing, we also visited residents of Kutabumi 2 Housing. Many residents there also complained about the same issue, including Sanggra. Sanggra switched from groundwater to PERUMDAM water three years ago because the groundwater in her area contained iron, making it turbid and yellow. Sanggra hoped for cleaner and safer water from PERUMDAM.
However, lately, Sanggra experienced similar water cloudiness, disappointing her hopes for better PERUMDAM water quality. “The groundwater has a lot of iron, it is yellow. I thought PERUMDAM water would be better, but recently it has also been cloudy. Maybe it is because of the prolonged summer,” Sanggra lamented on Saturday (11/11/2023).
The water cloudiness experienced by Sanggra occurs periodically. “The water is clear during the day, but the next morning it is cloudy again, and so on,” Sanggra explained.
Between cost and quality
To check the quality of PERUMDAM water received by residents of Villa Tomang Baru and Kutabumi 2 Housing, we brought water samples for testing at the South Tangerang City Regional Health Laboratory (UPTD Labkesda). The testing process lasted for two weeks.
The regional health laboratory test results indicate concerns about PERUMDAM’s turbid water quality. There are two things that require attention: the color and microbiological levels in the water. The color test results of the water sample showed 82 PtCO, while the maximum allowable level is only up to 50 PtCO. This indicates a high level of water turbidity.
The microbiological test conducted by the South Tangerang City Regional Health Laboratory still uses the Minister of Health Regulation No. 416 of 1990 with a maximum level of 50 MPN/100ml. The microbiological test results did not exceed the maximum limit, showing a value of 35 MPN/100ml. However, according to the Minister of Health Regulation Number 2 of 2023 Chapter II, the microbiological level in water used for daily household hygiene and sanitation should be 0 CFU/100ml. This indicates a high level of microbiology in the water we tested.
This is further emphasized by Galih, a chemical analyst at the South Tangerang City Regional Health Laboratory (Labkesda). He said that the high microbiological content could have a direct impact on public health.
“The results are quite worrying. The problem is the new Minister of Health Regulation (2023) states that the microbiological parameter must be zero for clean water or any water related to health, there should be no bacteria at all. If the microbiology is high, the impact could be diarrhea and typhoid. Because it is directly related to health and the impact is very fast,” Galih explained while delivering the laboratory test results of turbid PERUMDAM water on Wednesday (11/29/2023).
After receiving the laboratory test results of turbid PERUMDAM water, we interviewed PERUMDAM Tirta Kerta Raharja as the water provider for residents of Villa Tomang Baru and Kutabumi 2 Housing to confirm their handling of the turbid water issue.
The Public Relations Head of PERUMDAM Tirta Kerta Raharja, Asep Muliawan, explained that the PERUMDAM water supplied to Villa Tomang Baru and Kutabumi 2 Housing comes from the Cisadane River. The water from this river is treated using Aluminum Sulfate, chlorine gas, and soda ash. This process continues to ensure a steady supply of clean water. When the river water is murkier than usual, Asep admitted that the treatment efforts intensify.
“During the dry season, like the last four months, there has been no rain at all. This affects the condition of PERUMDAM’s raw water. The river turns green and algae start to grow. Therefore, the water needs extra treatment to become clear, which increases production costs,” Asep explained during a meeting at PERUMDAM Tirta Kerta Raharja in Tangerang Regency on Monday (4/12/2023).
The increased murkiness of the water during the dry season leads to higher usage of chemicals, which naturally increases production costs. Despite these increased costs, there is no increase in tariffs for consumers.
“We cannot just arbitrarily raise the tariff rate. It has to be approved by the Regional Legislative Council. Besides being a company, PERUMDAM is also a social service. On one hand, it’s a company that needs to make a profit,” Asep revealed.
However, numerous complaints from residents indicate that PERUMDAM Tirta Kerta Raharja’s efforts in purifying the water are still not optimal. This situation shows a paradox in PERUMDAM’s commitment to providing clean water. They are trapped in a dilemma of providing the best water quality without reducing profits, while the tariff for consumers cannot be arbitrarily raised.
In this situation, the residents are the most affected party. They face health risks due to the consumption of cloudy water and are forced to seek alternative clean water sources, like Hartini. Hartini has been using PERUMDAM water since 2011 for her daily needs. However, in October 2023, she and other residents faced an unexpected problem: the water’s murkiness at certain times.
“The water is clear at night, but suddenly turns cloudy the next day, and clear again in the afternoon. This does not last all day. The color is also somewhat black, not clear,” Hartini recounted on Saturday (11/11/2023).
Despite depending on PERUMDAM water for washing, bathing, and cooking, Hartini admits being disturbed by this murkiness. “During the murky period, I have to buy bottled water for cooking,” said Hartini.
Hartini revealed that during the period of water murkiness, she has to spend an additional 14,000 rupiah per week for cooking purposes. Apart from financial issues, Hartini and her family also feel the health impact of the water’s murkiness, such as itching and skin spots. “It feels itchy, but I am not sure if others experience the same thing,” Hartini disclosed.
