Tangerang water supply disrupted

The Jakarta Post

TANGERANG: Water supply to some 86,000 customers in Tangerang municipality and regency was disrupted Friday because of problems at Pintu Sepuluh dam.

Three of 10 sluice gates at the dam on the Cisadane River dam broke down as a result of years of accumulated rust.

Suhanda, a spokesman for Tangerang regency's water company, PDAM Tirta Kerta Raharja, said the damage reduced by more than 75 percent the company's daily water supply.

Most of affected customers were located in Cikokol subdistrict and areas near Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

"The water level fell so low it could not enter our production installation," Suhanda said.

He asked the Water Resources Management Board, as the supervisor of the Cisadane River, to complete repair work on the dam as quickly as possible.

Indra Setiawan, the spokesman for Tangerang city's water company, PDAM Tirta Benteng, said the company was unable to ensure supplies as long as the sluice gates remained out of order.

"We can only apologize to our customers," he said.

The two water companies have yet to calculate their financial losses as a result of the disruption.--JP