Adopt Well and Adopt River for Bali Water Sustainability (Part 2)

Bali is in danger as the quantity and quality of its water continues to decline. Three facts that show it are including the decrease in groundwater level, seawater intrusion into the aquifer layer (the underground layer that contains water and can drain water), and surface water pollution. As a solution offered, IDEP collaborates with 13 schools throughout Bali in Adopt Well and Adopt River movement. The movement is part of the Bali Water Protection (BWP) program initiated by IDEP since 2015.

Putu Bawa (left), BWP Program Manager, is sharing about the benefits of planting trees to the students and teacher (Photo: Dewie Anggraini)

The well that is being adopted is called recharge well. It is used to "harvest rainwater" as a way to replenish the aquifer. In this way, the groundwater sources for the community can slowly be replenished. At the same time, it can simultaneously block or limit the increasingly widespread of seawater intrusion, ultimately in coastal areas.

Putu Bawa and the teachers are discussing recharge well and it's maintenance that will be taken care of by the school (Photo: Dewie Anggraini)

On October 8, 2019, IDEP completed the construction of a recharge well at Ulakan 1 Elementary School, Karangasem. It was the second well out of the 13 wells that were planned to be built in 13 schools across Bali in 2019. On the same day, according to the agreement with the school, the well is handed over to be "adopted" by the school.

The students were invited to plant trees at some points around school area (Photo: Dewie Anggraini)  

Besides the handover of the well, that day IDEP also invited students to participate in the Adopt River movement. Through various activities and educational media such as planting trees, cleaning up the school environment, screening films, reading educational comics about rivers, and sharing stories, IDEP invites students to understand the importance of preserving the environment, including rivers, for the sake of a more guaranteed quality and quantity of Bali water.

Putu Wahyu (left) from IDEP is facilitating the comic reading session (Photo: Dewie Anggraini)

After Ulakan, the Adopt Well and Adopt River movement will continue to 11 other elementary schools around Bali and Nusa Penida island. Considering that the scale of this water issue is getting bigger and worrying, IDEP through the BWP Communication and Fundraising officer Dewie Anggraini invited all concerned parties to contribute and support the program. "We at IDEP are aware that this is a common issue that we are out of capacity to solve it alone. Therefore, we through this program try to build initial initiatives. Hopefully, this program can help all parties to be able to clearly see the problem and the solution at the same time and then willing to solve it collaboratively."

Students and teachers of SDN 1 Ulakan (Photo: Dewie Anggraini)

The BWP program is open-calling for the contribution of all parties who concern about the future of Bali's water and it's people. The information about how to contribute to the program can be accessed through the website www.baliwaterprotection.net. (Ed)