Wasti Atmodjo, Denpasar – Around 70 million Indonesian people have no access to sanitation facilities, an official confirmed.

Budi Yuwono Prawirosudiorjo, director general of Cipta Karya public works office at the Public Works Ministry, explained the number came from the latest survey carried out by the Statistic Bureau Agency. "In reality, the number of people would be more than 70 million."

Sanitation facilities include clean water sources, toilets, domestic and industrial waste-processing plants and others.

Regarding tap water, the government could only provide drinking water supplies to 47 percent of households in urban areas and 11 percent of households in rural sites. "The remaining people still consume water from ground wells and water resources such as rivers."

It requires huge investment to develop adequate sanitation facilities. According to a Country Program report from UN Habitat 2008-2009, Indonesians' access to clean water facilities remains relatively low.

"As compared to other infra-structure projects, the construction of sanitation facilities across Indonesia remains very limited due to lack of funds and priority," Budi said.

Indonesia, he noted, has planned to increase the budget for the development of sanitation facilities including clean water supplies at Rp 12.6 trillion in 2010, compared to Rp 5 trillion in the previous year.

The government also increased the budget for the construction of sanitation facilities to Rp 14.4 trillion from Rp 2.98 trillion in 2008/2009.

"Ideally, Indonesia has to allocate at least Rp 78 trillion for the provision of clean and drinking water and Rp 61 trillion for sanitation facilities," Budi said.

He called on provincial and regional administrations to pay more attention to the development of clean water and sanitation facilities.

Yanti Koestoer, executive director of the Indonesian Business Link, said the workshop on clean water and sanitation was aimed at linking Central and Regional governments as well as community groups to work together to develop adequate sanitation facilities.

The first clean water and sanitation program will be held in Sukabumi and Serang, Medan in North Sumatra, and Timor.