Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Vice President Boediono has reminded district and city administrations to provide clean water as basic necessity for the public.

Local administrations are also responsible for treating liquid waste, Vice President Boediono said in his opening speech in the Indonesian Water and Waste Water Expo and Forum 2013 here, Tuesday.

Among those present in the opening ceremony of the expo were Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto, Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo, and Vice Governor of Jakarta Basuki T. Purnama.

District and city administrations must cooperate with the central government in providing clean water as basic need, he stated.

The Indonesian government has been committed to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in order to increase the dignity of the Indonesian people, he added.

Providing clean water is one of the main goals, he stated.

Boediono encouraged local officials to establish public and private partnership in developing clean water supply and waste water treatment facilities.

Regarding the status of regional clean water supply companies, of the existing 335 companies throughout Indonesia, 144 are categorized as healthy companies, 105 less healthy and 85 unhealthy, according to the vice president.

Chairman of the Association of Clean Water Supply Companies in Indonesia (PERPAMSI) Syaiful said the country`s 410 clean water companies are 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.

Until 2011, only 55.04 percent of the total population have access to clean water supplies.

"it`s still far from the target of MDGs by 2015 at 68.87 percent," he said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013