Indonesia's Wastewater Service Access Lowest in ASEAN at 10.2%, Experts Warn

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Association of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering Experts (IATPI) said that access to wastewater or sanitation services in Indonesia is still the lowest in Southeast Asia (ASEAN). IATPI Honorary Council Member Joni Hermana said that access to sanitation services in the country only reached about 10 percent. "For example, in the field of wastewater alone, access to wastewater services or sanitation, yes, which is safe in Indonesia is still 10.2 percent. That is the lowest in ASEAN," he said when met by VOI on the sidelines of the Extraordinary Congress of IATPI in Jakarta, Friday, July 17. According to Joni, this is a big homework (PR) for Indonesia today. "Because we can't control the resources that are the planners, the executors, we can really be held accountable for the quality," he said. He assessed that so far there has been no construction worker who can really do this. "Until now, because there is none, yes, all (construction workers) can work. But, (sanitation infrastructure) is not going anywhere like that," he explained. With the IATPI congress today, Joni hopes that his party can play a role in helping the government in the development of environmental and sanitation infrastructure to catch up. "So, I think this is one thing that must be done and IATPI should have a role in it because our focus is on environmental governance," he added.