World Party of Ideas for Sustainable Water

The World Water Forum in Bali is a place to compete for ideas and innovation to find solutions for sustainable water.

KOMPAS/RENY SRI AYU ARMAN

Passau' wai swimming in the Mandar River, Polewali Mandar, West Sulawesi, Friday (15/9/2023), carrying a series of jerry cans filled with clean water. This water will be sold for clean water purposes.

The world is currently more preoccupied with geopolitics than thinking about water scarcity. However, the issue of water has widened the inequality in many countries. Ironically, water scarcity has even been considered as the new normal.

This rather striking statement was made by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, during a parliamentary meeting at the 10th World Water Forum (WWF) in Nusa Dua, Bali.

In the same place, President Joko Widodo in his speech during the event mentioned that out of 72 percent of the Earth's surface covered by water, only 1 percent is accessible and can be used for drinking water and sanitation purposes.

Concerns about water and sustainable water management in the future make this World Water Forum a platform for the world to pour out their thoughts and ideas. In addition to seminars and training, the exhibition, which is also part of the event series, provides an opportunity to offer various innovations for water management.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

Excerpt from a photo of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, giving a speech to open a parliamentary meeting at the 10th World Water Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Monday (20/5/2024). Puan requested a commitment from the world parliament to focus on the issue of water scarcity.

As an event attended by 48 representatives from different countries with 38,000 participants, the World Water Forum is like a feast of ideas. Inside the Bali International Convention Center (BICC) and other buildings, hundreds of booths from several countries, including Indonesia, competed to showcase their innovations.

Also read: Puan Maharani: The world is too busy with geopolitics compared to the water crisis

Bima Sakti Alterra, a company based in Bali, for example, offers technology-based devices and applications that are useful in minimizing water loss due to pipe leaks.

”Digital technology such as sensors based on the internet of things (IoT) and machine learning can be an effective solution for identifying and overcoming water loss. "The integration of this technology allows PDAM to respond quickly to abnormalities that occur, then make quick and appropriate decisions," said Putri Respati, Director of Bima Sakti Alterra.

Another state-owned company from Bandung, West Java, offers a simple water filtration device. This device is a container equipped with a filter that will filter dirt and bacteria in the water.

KOMPAS/RENY SRI AYU ARMAN

The water management system introduced by Bima Sakti Alterra at the 10th World Water Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Monday (20/5/2024).

"Any water, except sea water, can be purified and there are research results on bacteria so it is safe and suitable for consumption," explained Dwi Shinta Putri from Nazava Water Filter when explaining to visitors who came to the outlet. >its.

Various problems

The issue of water in Indonesia and various parts of the world is indeed diverse. Water scarcity, loss, and pollution are common problems faced in many places.

Also read: Water loss is still a problem, technology applications can be a solution

According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), throughout 2021 there were 10,683 villages/kelurahan that experienced water pollution, both due to household waste and industrial activities. In addition, 4,496 villages or sub-districts experienced pollution from factory waste and 27 villages and sub-districts from other sources.

In addition to water pollution, there are also 1,499 villages and urban neighborhoods experiencing soil pollution, as well as 5,644 villages and urban neighborhoods experiencing air pollution. The majority of them, or 69,966 other villages and urban neighborhoods, are noted to have not experienced any pollution.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

One of the Mentaya River's tributaries within the area owned by a palm oil plantation company in Tanah Putih Village, East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan, was seen on Saturday (11/5/2024).

The pollution situation is occurring in Tanah Putih Village, East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan. Several Mentaya River children are heavily polluted. Residents who are fishermen call the village, which was formerly known as a fishing village, now transformed into a palm plantation worker village.

“People used to come here to fish because all the fishermen were here. Now, no one wants to be a fisherman, the river is damaged. "There are no fish there anymore, so it's better to just be a laborer," said Kilung (42), a resident of Tanah Putih.

In Majene, West Sulawesi, some coastal residents even have to risk their lives to obtain clean water. Residents who live along the coast are not reached by clean water services from the PDAM. Residents' efforts to dig wells also do not provide a solution to their need for clean water due to the brackish water conditions.

Every day, water miners in Majene must collect water from the Mandar River. This water is purified in a simple way, filtered using cloth and river stones. The water is then continuously scooped until it becomes clear. Once it is clear, one by one, jerry cans are filled. The next difficult task is to transport hundreds of jerry cans by swimming through the Mandar River.

Also read: ”Passau’ Wai”, Risking Your Life to Sell Clean Water

KOMPAS/RENY SRI AYU ARMAN

Passau' wai swimming in the Mandar River, Polewali Mandar, West Sulawesi, Friday (15/9/2023), carrying a series of jerry cans filled with clean water. This water will be sold for clean water purposes.

"We use this air for various purposes, including drinking. It is also sold to residents who cannot go to the river to get water. It has been like this for generations," said Sadiah (50).

Meanwhile in Makassar, a major city in South Sulawesi, some residents still struggle to access clean water. Even before the peak of the dry season, many residents often have to go around searching or buying water.

In the city of Makassar, which has a population of around 1.5 million, clean water from the Makassar City Drinking Water Company has not yet been able to reach all areas. Environmental damage upstream and along river basins, which are the raw water sources for the water company, is a separate issue. Not to mention the loss of water due to pipe leaks.

"Until now, the leakage is still at 49 percent. The problem we are facing, which is also experienced by many PDAMs in Indonesia, is old pipes. In Makassar, most of the pipes are Dutch relics," said Beni Iskandar, Director of the Makassar City Drinking Water Company.

KOMPAS/RENY SRI AYU ARMAN

Condition of the spillway building at Leko Pancing Weir, Wednesday (30/8/2023). Currently the dam is dry due to the drought.

Local wisdom

Aside from these various issues, there are many areas that have wisdom in managing water. For example, Subak in Bali. Subak also regulates an irrigation system that is related to customary law and has its own characteristics, namely social, agricultural, religious, with a spirit of mutual cooperation as its foundation. Water management aims to meet the water needs in producing food crops.

Also read: The Water Crisis in Makassar is Getting Worse

President Joko Widodo has reminded that by 2050, around 500 million small-scale farmers who contribute to 80 percent of the world's food supply are predicted to be the most vulnerable in experiencing water difficulties.

At certain times, subak provides something to those who live upstream, particularly during religious ceremonies. However, this value can be lost if the land continues to change functions and does not take local wisdom into consideration for sustainable development.

In a seminar about subak that was part of the World Water Forum, on Tuesday (21/5/2024), the Director General of Culture at the Ministry of Education, Hilmar Farid, said that there are still water companies or other industrial activities that benefit from irrigation systems and have an impact on the sustainability of water resources.

"However, these companies or industrial activities do not provide reciprocation to help the community maintain local wisdom that creates such water protection systems. But now is not the time to blame each other. What needs to be done is to align perceptions," he said.

KOMPAS/FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN

Tourists are walking and enjoying the view in the Jatiluwih tourist area, Penebel District, Tabanan Regency, Bali, on Thursday (9/5/2024). The Jatiluwih tourist area will be one of the places visited by delegates of the 10th World Water Forum, which will be held in Bali on 18-25 May 2024.

Similar sentiments were expressed by UNESCO's Deputy Director-General Xing Qu. According to him, UNESCO is currently working to preserve past treasures for future development through the world's cultural heritage. "Cultural wealth is not only owned by the past, but also for today and tomorrow," he said.

Also read: Local Culture and Wisdom Become Alternative Solutions to Global Water Problems

Various measures and innovations need to be taken as a solution for sustainable water management and utilization. If not, droughts and water scarcity are inevitable for Earth's residents.

President Joko Widodo has reminded that by 2050, around 500 million small-scale farmers who contribute to 80 percent of the world's food supply are predicted to be the most vulnerable in experiencing water difficulties.

It is not wrong for the President of the World Water Council, Loic Fauchon, to remind that water must become a political issue worldwide. Water is the most valuable commodity on this planet.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Participants in the river clean-up action rowed canoes on the Ciliwung River, Cawang, Jakarta, while taking part in the River Milking action, Thursday (27/7/2023).

"Water should receive more attention and a better place than political and geopolitical issues. Therefore, we all need the role of parliament to fight for policies related to water issues. Water needs you (legislators)," said Loic.