REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian government has set a target of connecting clean water pipelines to 27.6 million households by 2019.

"At present, 11 million households in Indonesia have clean water pipeline connections. We aim to reach 27.6 million households by 2019," Chairman of the Drinking Water Supply System Development Supporting Agency (BPPSPAM) Tamin M. Zakaria Amin said in a press statement here on Thursday.

By late 2019, the country's drinking water supply coverage is expected to reach 60 percent of the population, while the remaining 40 percent will continue to rely on wells, springs, and rainwater harvesting.

The government hopes for most Indonesian people to have access to safe drinking water.

Moreover, funds amounting to Rp253 trillion will be required to finance the installment of the pipeline connections.

Allocations from the State Budget (APBN), the Provincial and District/City Budget, and the Regional Drinking Water Supply Companies (PDAMs) are expected to cover the funding.

In addition, Indonesia is facing difficulties in its efforts to achieve sanitation for all by 2019, Director of Environmental Health and Settlement Development of the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry M. Maliki Moersyid said.

The ministry needs assistance from BPPSPAM to finance the sanitation projects, he revealed.

The role of BPPSPAM will be strengthened through a draft government regulation on Drinking Water Supply System Management, deliberations over which are ongoing.

"The role of BPPSPAM will be strengthened, increased and made more strategic," Director of the ministry's Drinking Water Development Department M. Natsir affirmed.

The agency is expected to be more focused on supporting and guiding PDAMs. So far, it could only give recommendations, but it will now be given the authority to speak with the Home Affairs Ministry and with regional administrations about implementing its tasks.

For this purpose, members of the agency will include officials of the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry, as well as of the Home Affairs Ministry.

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