Bali's water crisis is a stark reminder of the unintended consequences of tourism and development on a fragile ecosystem. The island's once-pristine rice fields and springs are now under threat, with the water being siphoned off for the benefit of tourists and developers. This is a story of how a cherished cultural practice, the subak, is being eroded by the very forces that bring economic prosperity. The subak, a water-sharing cooperative that has governed Balinese irrigation since the ninth century, is at the heart of this crisis. It is a system that has been recognised by Unesco as a world heritage site, and it is based on the philosophy that water is a gift to be shared, not a resource to be exploited. However, the influx of tourists and the demand for development have put this system under immense pressure. The Bali national land agency reports a loss of over 6,500 hectares of rice fields in the past five years, and the Transnational Institute estimates that Bali has already shed nearly a quarter of its agricultural land as tourism grew by 330% in the previous 25 years. This is not just a loss of income for farmers like I Putu Partayasa, who has seen his water supply dwindle, but it is also a loss of water infrastructure. Rice fields act as a natural water storage system, slowing runoff and recharging the aquifer below. When they are replaced with concrete, this function is permanently lost. The impact of this water crisis is felt across Bali, from the dry rice terraces of the north to the luxury resorts of the south. In southern Bali, groundwater extraction has pushed aquifers beyond sustainable levels, and coastal wells are turning brackish as seawater moves inland. The IDEP Foundation, a Bali-based NGO, declared Bali to be in water crisis in 2018, and it has since found seawater intrusion in at least six of the island's nine districts. The story of Bali's water crisis is a cautionary tale about the unintended consequences of development and the need for sustainable practices. It is a story that highlights the importance of preserving cultural practices like the subak, which are not just a source of income but also a way of life. As Bali continues to grapple with this crisis, it is clear that a rethinking of development practices and a commitment to sustainable water management are essential. The future of Bali's water supply and its cultural heritage depend on it.
