Challenges And Efforts Required To Basic Sanitation Access @ Indonesia

Related to the issue of basic sanitation, a number of challenges exist in terms of achieving the target to reducing the population proportion without adequate basic sanitation facilities access by the year 2015:

First, Lack of community knowledge about the environment. Rural communities less understand importance role sanitation in their health. One of the reasons for this is their low level of knowledge. Therefore most of latrine not being used properly. Low awareness levels cause the sanitation facilities that are constructed being unsustainable. Many of the public bathing, washing, and toilet facilities (MCK) that are constructed are not utilized properly, and even neglected. Knowledge and awareness among the public, the executive and legislative bodies either the business community must be improved that sanitation influence quality live. If the public is aware about sanitation importance especially relation to health and productivity, then demand for sanitation infrastructure and facilities will grow.

Second, Basic sanitation problem unimportant issue by politicians, the government and business community. They do not notice the importance of healthy proper basic sanitation. The issue of environmental health appears to be viewed as a “strange issue”. This issue did not to be taken up at decision making levels. The low level of attention for basic and healthy sanitation problem is reflected from small budget allocated to developing basic sanitation. Higher levels of concern and sensitivity within decision making party that there is relationship between sanitation and public health, particularly among the poor community in rural and urban areas, is absolutely necessary in the future.

Third, Lack of comprehensive inter-sector policies to provide basic and healthy sanitation facilities cause sanitation problem unless to carried. In the future, upgrading the quality of sanitation facilities should be a serious attention. The manifestation of attention is by providing funds and assistance for the development of facilities that meet requirement of technical criteria and health standards, also easy to operate and maintain by public.

Fourth, The deficient quality of septic tank construction in urban areas. Limited land in urban areas difficult to construct individual septic tanks that meet standard requirement. Deficient quality of septic tanks cause leakage and increase pollution of drinking water source from wells and groundwater.

Fifth, Limited people served by sewerage systems. This is an impact population growth rates in urban areas that do not follow by infrastructure of sewerage systems. Deficient development of sewerage systems in metropolitan and big cities is due to expensive construction and land limited area that can be utilized for service networks. On the other hand, the public’s willingness to pay for domestic wastewater services is very low and inadequate to cover the cost of these services.

Sixth, Inadequate sanitation services impact on quality of health. The outcome study of Asia Development Bank (1998) entitled Strengthening of Urban Waste Management Policies and Strategies (TA Number 2805-INO) mention that deficient quality of sanitation impacted economic losses of around IDR 423 trillion per year or 2% of the GDP.