Jakarta’s shitty sewage situation
2010.05.10 10:53
Here’s another one from the archives. This time about Jakarta’s shitty sewage system. (Another toilet-related fetish? :p)
These articles come from 2004, so they might be subject to updates, but I doubt the sewage system in Jakarta has since improved. Most residents still rely on individual septic tanks (and sewage trucks when there’s trouble), and a proper public sewage treatment system is largely non-existant.
Anyway, back to the articles, what was most fun about writing them was I got to ride with a sewage truck crew, help poke a shit-clogged septic tank with a bamboo stick, and play the spy to get discreet pictures of some unscrupulous sewage truck crews illegally dumping their untreated truck’s load right into one of the city’s rivers! Check out the pic of a crew member relieving himself into the river as well! :))
So that’s a glimpse of how shitty Jakarta’s sewage system is, and here are the full articles:
- Jakarta in dire need of better sewage system
- City to adopt modular sewage system
- Sewage workers clean up after our dirty work
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Jakarta in dire need of better sewage system
Just recently, in May, residents of the capital were startled to find thousands of fish washing up dead on the beaches of the Jakarta Bay.
Although officials concluded that the incident was caused by a natural proliferation of algae, it nevertheless raised concern of a possible pollution in the bay’s waters, as further investigations indicated that the oxygen-depleting algae explosion was spurred by a high level of nutrients in the water originating from inorganic and organic waste.
While the inorganic waste is mostly untreated industrial waste, the organic waste is basically raw sewage, dumped directly into rivers flowing through the city and ending up in the bay.
Indications that untreated sewage has been seeping into the rivers is however nothing new, as the Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD) had repeatedly discovered coli bacteria in all of the city’s 13 rivers that it regularly monitors.
The bacteria, which come from human feces and can cause diarrhea, was also found of having contaminated as much as 80 percent of all shallow artesian wells in the city.
The BPLHD pointed out that the cause of the pollution lied in the city’s existing sewage treatment system, which relies heavily on individual septic tank installations, but with many of them inadequately designed.
Data from the agency shows that only some 39 percent of the installations can properly treat raw sewage. The rest can barely process human waste, let alone handle other waste water, such as from bathing and washing, which are then simply discharged into the city’s drainage system to end up in rivers.
Other residents simply pipe their raw sewage out into rivers, despite the existence of Gubernatorial Decree No. 582/1995 and State Minister for the Environment Decree No. 112/2003, regulating the discharging of domestic sewage.
In light of such a situation, Jakarta has therefore no other option than to improve its sewage treatment system, if it ever wants to curb the continuing pollution of its seas, rivers and groundwater by raw sewage.
The city administration had actually attempted to do so, when in the 1980s it set up two sewage treatment plants in Pulo Gebang, East Jakarta and in Duri Kosambi, West Jakarta. Using sewage trucks, waste water was collected from septic tanks throughout the city for proper processing at the plants’ aeration ponds. Each of the plants, which are operated by the City Sanitation Agency, can treat up to 300,000 liters of raw sewage per day.
Later on, the city administration joined hands with the Ministry of Public Works to build an integrated sewage treatment system in Setiabudi, South Jakarta. The system, which was then a pilot project for the city and now operated by city sewage company PD PAL Jaya, utilized a network of underground pipes to collect waste water from surrounding houses and buildings. Its large-scale treatment plant, can process up to 500 liters per second, or more than 40 million liters per day.
But while the latter system would be the ideal for Jakarta, officials are saying that converting the city’s existing system of septic tanks into one using sewage pipes would be a difficult and costly task.
Amir Sagala, a waste management official from the City Sanitation Agency, said that installing sewerage pipes in many of the city’s already densely-populated residential areas would be overwhelming, if not impossible.
“This city has the unfortunate condition of being developed only after it has been established,” he said. “However, I’m sure certain business districts with high-rise buildings, or newly-developed residential areas, will still be possible to adopt and implement such a piped sewage system.”
Amir further said that Jakarta need not add anymore sewage treatment plants in the near future, as the existing ones were still sufficient.
“Septic tanks usually need to be drained only once or twice a year,” he said.
Data from BPLHD, however, shows that Jakarta’s population of some 12 million people produce no less than 1.5 billion liters of sewage each day — far above the amount that can be handled by both the Pulo Gebang and Duri Kosambi plants.
Even the larger-capacity Setiabudi plant would not suffice, as its existing piping network has limited its ability to serve only some 2 percent of the city’s population. Several technical problems have prevented it from being operated to its full capacity.
Meanwhile, PAL Jaya director, Pudjo Prihadi Santoso, said that the implementation of an integrated sewage treatment system for the whole city would most likely face financial problems as well.
Pudjo explained that a piped sewage system like the one in Setiabudi would only be economically feasible, if 40 percent of its costs could be allocated for the construction, maintenance and operation of the treatment plant alone.
“If the ratio is anything lower than that, then the project would be more occupied with installing pipes than with treating the sewage itself,” he said. “The city’s leveled-out topography would also mean additional investment for pumps, to ensure that the sewage properly flows into the treatment plant’s aeration pond.”
The construction of the Setiabudi plant and its network of pipes had at the time cost some US$6 billion.
In face of all these difficulties, it seems unlikely that Jakarta, despite its urgent need of a better and appropriate sewage treatment system, would actually have one in the near future.
–Urip Hudiono, Jakarta, 2004
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City to adopt modular sewage system
Acknowledging Jakarta’s urgent need of a better sewage system, yet realizing as well the difficulties in implementing a centralized system for the whole city, the municipal sewage company PD PAL Jaya is proposing that Jakarta adopt a modular sewage system instead.
In addition, PAL Jaya is also proposing the upgrading of existing septic tanks in areas where the installation of sewage pipes would not be possible.
As explained by PAL Jaya director Pudjo Prihadi Santoso, the modular system would be best for Jakarta, where many of its already densely-populated areas would present technical obstacles in the construction of a centralized network of sewage pipes to collect all the city’s waste water to PAL Jaya’s large-scale treatment plant in Setiabudi, South Jakarta.
“Our preliminary financial studies of the system have also found it more feasible,” he said.
According to PAL Jaya’s proposed modular system, Jakarta will be divided into 38 module areas, in which each area would be served by a local sewage pipe network and a small-scale sewage treatment plant. Data from PAL Jaya mentions that a plant that can process 3 liters of raw sewage per second, could cost up to Rp 1 billion (US$106,382).
In certain areas where it would still be possible, however, PAL Jaya will expand its existing sewage pipe network.
At least six service expansion areas have been drawn out by PAL Jaya — namely the Central, the North West, the South West, the North East, the South East and the Tanjung Priok zones, serving a total of 19,740 hectares. PAL Jaya’s Setiabudi plant currently serves only 560 hectares, or 0.85 percent of Jakarta’s total area.
Pudjo, however, could not elaborate more on the proposal as it was still in its preliminary planning.
“We will only start mapping out the definite areas for the service expansion and the module areas next year with the City Development Agency,” he said.
Meanwhile, concerning the proposal of upgrading existing septic tanks, Pudjo explained that it was important to prevent further pollution of the city’s groundwater and rivers by raw sewage in areas unreachable by sewage pipes.
“Most septic tanks can only treat human waste, while waste water from bathing and washing are simply discharged into the city’s drainage system,” he said. “A modified septic tank will be able to properly treat all kinds of sewage.”
PAL Jaya has been considering a cooperation with Malaysian company Pembinaan Jayabumi to supply the modified septic tanks, which are equipped with scum collectors and a medium for waste decomposing bacteria.
Pudjo explained that residents could purchase the Rp 4 million (US$425) septic tank, through monthly installments of Rp 60,000 for a 10-year duration.
“If the city administration decides to subsidize the program, the installments could even be reduced to only Rp 33,000,” he said.
PAL Jaya technical director P.J. Sugiono, meanwhile, said that the existing Setiabudi plant should also be upgraded, as it was not designed to treat waste water containing soaps and detergents.
“If we operate the plant’s aerator machines, the water would get all foamy,” he said.
As explained further by the plant’s operational head, Setyo Duhkito, PAL Jaya then had to ocasionally include costly anti-foaming agents in its treatment process. Duhkito also mentioned the need to separate the flood control function of the plant’s aeration pond, to make its waste treatment process more effective.
Pudjo further mentioned the need of better regulations and coordination between city agencies to support the proposed sewage system.
At present, there already exists Gubernatorial Decree No. 45/1992, which mandates every building owner to use PAL Jaya’s service in areas where its sewage pipes are already available, and Gubernatorial Decree No. 2379/2003, which specifies PAL Jaya’s service fee.
Pudjo also suggested that all matters of sewage would in the future be handled by PAL Jaya, and its monitoring by the Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD). The City Sanitation Agency currently operates sewage trucks and sewage treatment plants to serve areas in the city where PAL Jaya’s sewage pipe networks are unavailable.
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1. The Central Zone, from Setiabudi in South Jakarta to Pluit in North Jakarta, serving an area of some 10,000 hectares.
2. The North West Zone, from the West Flood Canal to Jl. Jend. Sudirman in South Jakarta, serving an area of 1,330 hectares.
3. The South West Zone, from Jl. Warung Buncit Raya to Jl. Jend. Sudirman in South Jakarta, serving an area of 2,170 hectares.
4. The North East Zone, from Jl. Bekasi Timur Raya to Jl. Kramat Raya in East Jakarta, serving an area of 3,500 hectares.
5. The South East Zone, between the portions of the Ciliwung and Sunter rivers flowing through South Jakarta, serving an area of 1,240 hectares.
6. The Tanjung Priok Zone, in North Jakarta, serving an area of 1,500 hectares.
–Urip Hudiono, Jakarta, 2004
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Sewage workers clean up after our dirty work
Not everything that we flush down the toilet successfully disappears.
Once in a while, our plumbings get clogged up by an overflowed septic tank, such that we have to call sewage workers to the rescue.
Upon receiving such calls, city sewage workers Agus Warta, Ipung and Jay immediately mount their truck to make their daily round of relieving residents from their foul problems.
“We are ready to serve anyone in any location, as long as it is reachable by our trucks,” Agus said.
The City Sanitation Agency head office operates 36 large-sized 6,000-liter capacity sewage trucks, which can reach most houses and buildings located along the city’s highways. The agency’s district offices, meanwhile, operate 83 smaller-sized 2,000-liter capacity trucks, which can reach locations inside alleys. Both types of trucks are equipped with at least 50 meters of suction hose to further reach their customers’ location.
The fee for their service is Rp 20,000 (US$2.13) per 1,000 liters of sewage, with a minimum of 2,000 liters, as stipulated in Bylaw No. 3/1999 on regional retribution.
“Customers calling for the service of a 6,000-liter capacity truck, however, have to pay a minimum fee for at least 4,000 liters of sewage,” Agus explained.
Arriving at the scene, in a housing complex in Halim, East Jakarta, Agus and his colleagues immediately went down to work.
While Ipung located the customer’s problematic septic tank, Agus and Jay prepared the truck’s vacuum machine and uncoiled its suction hose.
Ingenuity is part of their job, as most septic tanks in the city have been built according to no standardized design. Because the septic tank had no inspection manhole, Ipung finally had to pry open a hole on its top to insert the suction hose. He also used a long bamboo stick lying nearby and several buckets of water to gush and stir the sludge inside the tank, to prevent any unnecessary lumps from clogging the suction hose.
The three used no protective boots or hand gloves while they carried out their work; they simply rolled up their sleeves as they drained the sludge out of the septic tank for some 15 minutes.
“Our work is obviously dirty work. We have to occasionally pull out the suction hose from inside the tank and wipe it clean with our bare hands,” Jay said. “But we’ve eventually gotten used to it, and no longer feel disgusted or lose our apetite when we think about it.”
Finishing their round, Agus then headed their truck to the City Santitation Agency’s nearest sewage treatment plant in Pulo Gebang, East Jakarta.
At the plant, several other sewage trucks were seen dumping their load into one of the plant’s seven aeration ponds.
“Some 60 trucks dump their sewage here every day, including those from private sewage companies,” said the plant’s field operational head, Ismail Faisal.
There are currently 19 private sewage companies in the city, operating a total of 36 trucks. The companies must pay Rp 5,000 for each 1,000 liters of sewage they dump at the plant.
As further explained by Faisal, the sewage from the trucks is firstly treated at the plant’s aeration ponds, where each pond is capable of holding up to 300,000 liters of sewage.
Only one pond can be used each day, as it takes a week for the plant’s blower pumps to break down the organic waste contained in the sewage by continuously injecting it with some 3,000 liters of air per second. After that, the half-treated sewage then gets discharged into a chain of sludge sedimentation ponds, each capable of holding up to 3.6 million liters of sewage.
“After about a month, it can then be safely discharged into the nearby waterways. The remaining sediment can also be used as fertilizer,” Faisal said, while mentioning the plant’s natural treatment of sewage without the use of any chemicals. Several artesian wells, meanwhile, are built in the plant’s 5-hecatre compound to monitor any contamination of coli bacteria.
However, despite the successful operation of the Pulo Gebang plant, Mukhtarom, a field operator of the agency’s other plant in Duri Kosambi, West Jakarta, mentioned the habit of several unscrupulous sewage truck crews dumping raw sewage into the city’s rivers.
“I’ve seen the practice myself several times,” he said, mentioning several locations in Cilandak in South Jakarta, Tanjung Duren in West Jakarta, and Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta.
“The ironic thing is several of them are the agency’s own trucks, not only those from private companies.”
On-the-spot observation indeed revealed a city sewage truck dumping raw sewage into the Krukut river, just outside a drinking water production plant in Cilandak. The truck crew simply said it was just more convenient to do so rather than driving to far located treatment plants.
Commenting on the case, City Sanitation Agency head of operations, Indra Wijaya, said that residents should not hesitate to report such practices.
“We will immediately revoke their license and prosecute them,” he said.
Stern action from the agency is of course expected, as the city’s rivers are already heavily polluted by raw sewage, without sewage trucks worsening the situation by dumping their load into them.
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Having sewage problems? Just call the following numbers:
City Sanitation Agency head office ………. 8092616, 8092744
East Jakarta office ………. 8196667
North Jakarta office ………. 494663
Central Jakarta office ………. 341290
West Jakarta office ………. 5663524
South Jakarta office ………. 7990379
–Urip Hudiono, Jakarta, 2004
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