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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. 

Gili Island Boat and Beach.jpg

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.”

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.”

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.”

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.

Sink-and-Tap-in-Hotel-Bathroom-Water

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.”

View-Of-Lake-Buyan-in-Buleleng-Regency

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.’’

Ariel-View-of-Nusa-Dua-In-Bali-Hotels-and-Beach

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. 

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Popof

Tuesday 15th of October 2024

Why spreading fake news? There’s actually no water shortage on G. Trawangan or G.Air. Stop trying to influence travelers to stay in Bali.

Agustin

Tuesday 15th of October 2024

No fresh water issues or rubbish issues on Gili Air - Bali Sun needs to at least get its facts right if it’s going to over sensationalise and mis-report issues in places other than Bali. Perhaps Bali Sun should stick to Bali news and right some wrongs, report on the missing beach in Kuta, filthy ocean and waterways, scams, drugs issues, crime, destruction of rural land, and Indonesia buying other countries rubbish for a quick buck when it can’t even handle its own. Talk about paradise lost - yes - on a massive scale.

B hewett

Saturday 12th of October 2024

They say the 3 gilis but thats not true. Only meno and trawangan have water issues. On gili air there gov pdam and good well water. So have no fear and come and visit gili air.

Popof

Tuesday 15th of October 2024

@B hewett, no water issues at all on Trawangan.

Paul

Saturday 12th of October 2024

Typical want the tourist money but forget about the infrastructure bali in a nut shell no brains. A desalination plant or two and problem solved but that means planing and spending money. That's what the tourist tax can be used for

Elisabeth

Friday 11th of October 2024

Greedy Gov made people suffer no fresh water thats serius condition happen in 2012 W PT BAL (foreighn Investment) made Dissalination use beachwell in G Trawangan then 2015 G Meno w ressonable price they should clossed Gov take well licence and they closed now have a court case report by competitor PT TCN for enviromental damage (actually PT TCN did) Now Gili Meno already 6 month bo fresh water and no protection for foreighn investnent I write this because Iam dissaponted hope Indo law can make people comfort not crying