water scarcity

A recent report on Water Equity in Tourism (WET), from the UK-based non-governmental organisation Tourism Concern, claims that access to water for ordinary Balinese people has been severely affected by the demands of tourism on the island. It found that rampant development, with little or no regard for environmental stewardship or long-term social impact, placed an enormous and unsustainable strain on the island’s water supply.

The number of top-end resorts has certainly helped seal the island’s reputation as a luxury getaway with many of them boasting substantial water features or private “plunge” pools . Meanwhile, village women in some rural areas have to walk up to 3km every morning to collect a single bucket to share among their family.

Many important hotels are moving to sustainable water management models now.

Bali’s water crisis is not solely the result of high demands from tourism—the problem is much more complex. “As a tropical island there is plenty of rain but most is being allowed to run off into the sea and the island’s limited underground and lake resources are being overexploited to critical limits,” says Tourism Concern. “All the impacts of over-use of groundwater are being felt in Bali: a falling water table, sea water intrusion, land subsidence and deteriorating water quality.” Whatever the causes, however, it concludes that tourism will be the most seriously impacted by the pending crisis.