Gili Island’s Water Crisis Sees Tourist Attention Return To Bali 

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The Indonesian Islands of Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air, off the coast of Lombok, have long been popular with young backpackers and island-hopping holidaymakers.

The Gili Islands, part of West Nusa Tenggara Province, are visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists from Bali every year. However, as the tiny islands receive an increasing number of visitors and changing environmental conditions impact water sanitation, there is a serious cause for concern. 

There are fears that the tourism industry on the Gili Islands could be forced into total collapse if water sanitation solutions are not implemented urgently.

The highly concerning struggles with an ongoing clean water crisis are impacting Gili Island residents, business owners, and tourists. 

The Chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant West Nusa Tenggara Province, Ni Ketut Wolini, told reporters, “The information I received is that there are 3,000 tourists coming to the three Gilis every day. What is there to do? How come the government does not have a solution to take care of just water.”

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Tourism revenue contributes to over 70% of the regional income of North Lombok Regency every year, and yet the ongoing clean water crisis, in addition to insufficient healthcare facilities on the island, is jeopardizing the futures of hundreds of local business owners and local families. 

Wolini explained, “It is the number one mainstay of [regional income]. Why can’t we find a solution?”

She added, “The majority [of visitors] are foreign tourists there, so it must be of international standards. For example, if there is an incident of a person drowning, how do we handle it [to an] internationally [acceptable standard]? It hasn’t been until now, and now it’s a water problem again; there are problems piling up here.”

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Wolini called on government agencies to issue more support to the Gili Islands urgently.

She added, “The solution is needed because the good name of tourism, not only in the Gilis but in West Nusa Tenggara Province, and in the name of Indonesia, is also because the Gilis are already known worldwide, not only nationally anymore; the islands are already known by the world.”

Speaking separately, the Chairman of the Gili Hotel Association, Lalu Kusnawan, has also raised questions over the slow response to the Gili clean water crisis, considering the intense need for water in the tourism sector.

Kasnuawan, too, called on the government to take urgent and impactful steps to migrate the situation and told reporters, “Long-term solutions are also needed to ensure a sustainable supply of clean water and avoid future disruptions.”

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The clean water crisis and the threats of clean water shortages are issues felt not only on the Gili Islands but throughout Bali Province, too.

There are regions of the main island of Bali and the outlying islands of Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan that are all monitoring potential freshwater shortages.

In a press interview last month, Professor Rumanian Salain confirmed that as early as 2025, Bali Province will face water shortages.

The province will face water shortages in 2025. Data shows that in 2021, Bali’s water needs reached 5.9 million liters a second, and in 2025, the needs are predicted to reach 7.9 million liters a second.

The Executive Director of the environmental group WALHI, Made Kirsna Dinata, confirmed the latest tourism and environmental impact figures with the media in September 2024.

He explained, “Hotels are greedy when it comes to consuming water. If compared to the need for water from a domestic [resident], they only need 200 liters per person per day.”

At star-rated hotels across Bali Province, the minimum water requirement per room per day is 800 liters.

Dinata explained, “The development of these various accommodation facilities will increase the burden and environmental impact, both the transfer of land functions to the ecological crisis and water crisis in Bali.’’

As for the Gili Islands, tourists are encouraged to check in with their accommodation and/or tour providers prior to traveling to the islands to get up-to-the-minute information regarding the clean water shortage and how it may impact their travel plans.