Residents of Gili Meno, North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, are calling for an undersea pipeline to provide a long-term solution to the island’s ongoing clean water shortage.
The demand was raised by residents and the Meno Bersatu Alliance, which includes the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) NTB, Meno Lestari and Wanapala NTB, during an action on Thursday, 21 May 2026.
According to WALHI, around 267 households, representing more than 1,000 people, have faced inadequate access to clean water in Gili Meno for more than three years. Residents have largely relied on rainwater collected independently to meet their daily needs.
The water shortage has affected households as well as the island’s local economy, which is closely linked to tourism. WALHI said the situation has placed additional pressure on women, who often bear responsibility for securing drinking water, sanitation, food needs and household livelihoods.
Residents Push for Undersea Pipeline
Residents have been seeking a solution to the water shortage since 2023 through advocacy, public actions and discussions with government authorities. One of the proposed long-term solutions is a clean water distribution system using an undersea pipeline from Lombok.
WALHI said the proposal had also received support through recommendations from central and regional government officials. The North Lombok Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) had previously encouraged the acceleration of the project through an audience agreement dated 14 November 2024.
Masrun, Field Coordinator of the Aksi Meno di Laut, said the clean water shortage had become one of the most pressing issues facing West Nusa Tenggara.
“Among the most pressing issues in West Nusa Tenggara is the clean water crisis, resulting from the handover of clean water management to corporations. For more than three years, around 267 households—or more than 1,000 people—on Gili Meno have been denied access to adequate clean water, a fundamental right of every citizen. Their daily water needs depend on rainwater collected independently by the residents. This situation places an increasingly heavy burden on women to ensure access to drinking water, sanitation, healthy food and support for the local economy.
The issue has also been raised previously by residents and WALHI in discussions with the North Lombok government. In November 2024, residents called for water to be distributed through a pipeline connecting the islands, while officials discussed both short-term water supplies and a longer-term undersea pipeline solution.
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Water Management and Environmental Concerns
The water crisis has also been linked to concerns over the management of water resources on the Gili islands.
WALHI said the North Lombok government had opted for a corporate water management scheme involving PT Tiara Cipta Nirwana (TCN). The company uses Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) technology to produce freshwater from seawater.
WALHI alleges that waste from the desalination process has affected coastal ecosystems, including coral reefs in the Gili Indah area. The organisation said an investigation by the National Marine Conservation Area Agency (BKKPN) in Kupang found that the waste had contaminated surrounding waters and posed a threat to marine biodiversity. WALHI also reported that damage to coral reefs had extended approximately 1.6 kilometres in length and 200 metres in width.
The organisation further stated that the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries had ordered the company to stop operations and revoked its marine spatial-use permit in early 2024, although WALHI reported that the company continued operating.
Residents have therefore called for a solution that addresses both the availability of clean water and the protection of the marine environment.
Clean Water Crisis Also Affects Tourism
Gili Meno is part of the Gili Islands, a tourism destination known for its beaches, marine environment and coral reefs. However, the prolonged water shortage has also affected businesses and residents whose livelihoods depend on tourism.
WALHI said declining tourism activity had directly affected local incomes and increased the financial burden on households. Earlier reporting by Kompas also noted that residents of the Gili islands had experienced difficulties obtaining water, with some having to purchase supplies from outside the islands.
WALHI has warned that the situation could become more difficult if dry conditions intensify. The organisation cited warnings about the potential strengthening of El Niño conditions in 2026–2027, which could increase the risk of drought in island regions such as West Nusa Tenggara.
At the 21 May action, residents and the Meno Bersatu Alliance delivered a clear demand to the North Lombok Government:
“WE NEED CLEAN WATER VIA UNDERSEA PIPELINES OR NOT AT ALL!”
The residents’ demand puts the undersea pipeline back at the centre of discussions over a long-term solution to Gili Meno’s clean water shortage, while also raising questions about how water resources and the island’s marine environment should be managed in the future.
