The Indonesian island of Bali has become a popular tourist spot in the last few years. The iconic rice paddies, clear blue beaches, beautiful temples have attracted travellers from all over the world. But this Indonesian island is now facing an acute water shortage crisis. And now tourism is one of the main causes of water shortage in Bali and even the whole of Indonesia. reports suggest that the rivers in the region are drying up and there will be a drought-like situation that will disrupt the life in both Bali and Indonesia.
What’s In It?
The Balinese people strongly believe in the Balinese Hindu philosophy of harmony between nature, people and the spiritual realm. Since the 9th century, they have been using an advanced irrigation system, subak that diverts water from channels to the rice fields and back to water crops. However, according to the International Federation of the Red Cross, the water crisis is affecting around 50 million people across Indonesia. This acute water shortage is affecting the quality of life, food and traditional culture of the Balinese people.
When it comes to tourism, Bali has always given travel enthusiasts the impression of the natural beauty of lush greenery and emerald waters. And this marketing and over-tourism have hit Bali badly. So much so that reports by Indonesia’s Environment Protection Agency states that out of 400 rivers, around 260 have dried out.
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What’s More?
Another report states that tourists use between 2000 to 4000 litres of water on a day to day basis. This research was conducted using the data from resorts. Swimming pools and golf courses in Bali require a lot of water from sources which have put a strain on water bodies furthermore. Delayed rainfall in the island is too causing havoc and the situation might get worse in the coming years, further affecting the villagers who are already suffering. There are conflicts between the locals and the hotel industry for diverting water into tourist places.
The government in Bali is currently coming up with effective and efficient sustainable water management plan. Bali will do their job to conserve water on how and where they can. But as tourists, we need to be mindful about how much water we use not only in our homes but even as tourists travelling to Bali or any other country for that matter. It’s time to be responsible tourists. To curb the consequences of over-tourism Indian Tourists May Now Have To Pay Charges To Visit Bhutan