Travelblog: Salty Showers
Submitted by Aguanomics Blog
The showers on Nusa Lembongan (an island to the south of Bali, in Indonesia) are salty. So is the tap water. That’s because the “fresh” water comes from wells, and the aquifers that they draw on are being polluted with salt water. This salt water-intrusion is a recent problem in areas of the island where tourism has increased the demand for fresh water. (In non-touristy areas this is not a problem, because the fresh water from rainfall percolates into the ground, keeping salt water at a distance. In fact, there are fresh water springs coming out into the seabed in some places.)
As tourism developed, and developed without concern for the water demand that came with it (tourists in resorts use up to 500 liters/capita/day; it’s easy to see how they would use more since, for example, tourists take showers and locals use ladles to splash water on themselves from small basins called \emph{mandis}), supply stayed the same. In the resulting shortage, groundwater extraction outpaced groundwater replenishment, and salt water intrusion became a problem. That’s why the shower water is salty, and it’s going to get saltier because tourists do not pay for the quantity of water they use, existing hotel owners probably do not (except for the energy they use for pumping), and new hotels are unlikely to be limited (if at all) in accord to sustainable water supplies.
Bottom Line: A beautiful area will only stay that way if demand is limited to sustainable supply.
We want to hear your thoughts on conservation so we make this a better world. Register on Conservation Blog now and get published within minutes. Before posting, it is recommended that you review our posting guidelines.
