DPR RI legislators debate Drinking Water and Sanitation Bill

Members of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) Legislation Body (Baleg) are discussing the Drinking Water and Sanitation Bill (RUU PAMS) to address service inequalities and improve water management.

Legislator Aria Bima emphasized the need to integrate water resource management with national sanitation standards to ensure public health. He stressed that the regulation must prioritize infrastructure development in remote, poor, and frontier regions (3T) to ensure these communities are not left behind. Bima also called for clear mandates for local governments to guarantee service availability.

Legislator Wahyu Sanjaya highlighted potential bottlenecks in regional water services, specifically noting that the dominance of Regional Water Utility Companies (PDAM) may hinder broader industry cooperation and investment. Sanjaya suggested that tariff policies need evaluation, noting that while investors require attractive rates, the public prioritizes consistent availability and water quality over low costs. He argued that current centralized authority under PDAM could slow the expansion of clean water access.