Dr Stroma Cole, Reader at Westminster School of Architecture & Cities, has been quoted in an AP News article on Bali’s water crisis.
The article draws attention to the impact of tourism development, population growth and water mismanagement in Bali. It notes that the water shortage - which already affects UNESCO sites, wells, and food production - could further worsen if water control policies are not enforced.
In the piece, Dr Cole refers to her 2021 research, titled Making an Impact on Bali's Water Crisis: Research to Mobilize NGOs, the Tourism Industry and Policy Makers. According to her, one of the reasons why the water table is dropping is because Bali’s residents and businesses rely on cheaper options for clean water, such as unregulated wells and boreholes, instead of government-owned piped supplies.
Central Bali is ideal for rice production, but the water crisis has greatly affected the crops, reducing food production on the island. Dr Cole’s research has shown that local farmers can only get one rice harvest instead of two or three a year due to the shortages.
Even though Bali has introduced regulations to manage water supplies, these licenses and taxations are missing enforcement.
“The rules which exist are excellent rules, but they are not enforced,” said Dr Cole.
Read the full article on AP News’s website.
