Community Role in Tackling Water Crisis in Bali

Groundwater protection movement in Bali more increase after some community makes an association called Pasraman Air. There are local and national communities involved in this association. Including IDEP as Bali Water Protection (BWP) that contributes to planning and organizing. Pasraman Air: Aji Toya held on April 26 till May 2, 2021.

 

BWP explained the journey of their movement (Photo: Gusti Diah)

 

 

The event that held in Geo Open Space, Kerobokan, Bali is “a meeting point for all communities that want to make space to learn and reflect including consolidation from every type of movement. A moment that creates by the collective spirit dan collectively owned.” Pasraman Air also held several activities to bring the various communities together. This goal happens through discussion, workshop, performing art, and art presentation from all of the volunteers. On this occasion, IDEP is a facilitator in some discussions.

 

 

 

Pasraman Air and BWP held discussion online and offline (Photo: Gusti Diah)

 

 

On Monday, April 26, 2021, IDEP include in the first section of the discussion. As an opener, IDEP shares some information about groundwater conditions in Bali through the screening film “Jantung Peradaban Air Bali” and discussion about the “Water Crisis”. IDEP talked about how Bali Water Protection there as a response to the groundwater problem in Bali. This threat happens when droughts last so long and lack of clean water in Bali. Even though Bali has many water sources, but 65% of it used for the tourism industry in the south of Bali.

 

 

Explaining BWP program to tackle water crisis in Bali (Photo: Gusti Diah)

 

 

The tourism industry that develops rapidly in Bali caused groundwater exploitation and indicates seawater intrusion. Therefore, with discussion in Pasraman AIr, BWP can introduce all of the programs to respond groundwater crisis in Bali. These programs including “Adopt a Well” which has been carried out in all of the districts in Bali; “Adopt a River” with giving education for students in Bali; and “Adopt a Water” which is a campaign to increase community awareness in Bali.

 

 

Screening film about groundwater condition in Bali (Photo: Gusti Diah)

 

 

 

Screening film about groundwater conditions in Bali and solutions offered by BWP raised the interest of the participants. Luckily, the majority of those participants were teenagers and college students. There are several questions about what efforts that they can do to respond water crisis in Bali. Besides, BWP team also gets some information about new perspectives from students. They also hope that discussion and effort to protect water in Bali keep continuing.

 

 

Screening film about groundwater condition in Bali (Photo: Gusti Diah)   

The sprits to tackle the water problem in Bali become more intense. On Friday, April 30, 2021, the next discussion was held with the theme “Observing Groundwater Condition in Bali”. This discussion involves experts which are Prof. Dr. Ir. Lilik Sudiajeng M.Erg as a researcher and environmentalist and I Ketut Ariantana St. M.Si from Indonesian Geologists Association (IAGI). Then attended by students, journalists, and communities from several backgrounds online and offline.

 

 

Expert share their research about water condition in Bali (Photo: Gusti Diah)

 

 

 

The discussion becomes a moment for experts to share their research results with the public. There are several facts in their research, namely: first, there is water quality degradation in some coastal area in Bali which means groundwater that previously bargains to brackish; second, we need a very long time to recover groundwater condition, which is inversely proportional from taking activity; third, some points that have groundwater degradation are places where a lot of the tourism industry runs.

 

 

A participant share about groundwater crisis in his place-Sanur (Photo: Gusti Diah)

 

 

 

Through these facts, participants agree about the importance of community role and government to protect groundwater condition in Bali. Moreover, one of the participants shares about groundwater conditions in his district which is Sanur that has seawater intrusion and makes groundwater degradation. This same perception and hope are increasingly desired to protect groundwater in Bali. (Gd)