Unsafe Water: Understanding the Health Risks of Drinking Contaminated Water

Indonesia, the largest archipelagic state in the world, is rich in natural water resources. Despite the seemingly endless rivers, lakes, and high annual rainfall, the country faces significant challenges in providing drinking water. In recent decades, different climate zones, geographical conditions, the pronounced dry season, population growth, urbanization, and economic development – including tourism – have significantly increased the demand for clean water. At the same time, environmental destruction, pollution, and inadequate water infrastructure have contributed to a growing water crisis. Particularly in remote areas, water supply presents a significant challenge. In many regions, there is a lack of necessary infrastructure and safe water sources, causing many people to rely on untreated surface water or deep wells. Access to clean drinking water is severely limited in many areas because basic facilities such as water pipes, wells, and sewage treatment plants are lacking. Numerous communities use rivers, lakes, or unprotected wells as water sources, often not meeting the required hygiene standards.

Contaminated Water

According to a 2010 study by the National Basic Health Research, a significant portion of households in Indonesia (32.5%) rely on poor-quality drinking water. Most drinking water in urban areas (83%) and rural regions (62%) comes from commercially bottled water. This trend results in higher household expenses for drinking water, which is especially problematic for low-income families who already spend much of their income on food (Fulazzaky, 2014).

The lack of clean water has direct consequences for public health. Microbially contaminated drinking water can transmit diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio. An estimated around 505,000 people worldwide die each year from diarrhoea-related diseases caused by contaminated water (World Health Organization, 2023). In 2021, the death rate due to consuming contaminated water in Indonesia was 12.1 deaths per 100,000 people. This figure shows the annual mortality rate caused by unclean water, reflecting a decrease compared to higher mortality rates in previous years, especially since 1990, when the government improved clean water access (Our World in Data, 2021). Children under five years old are particularly vulnerable. We could prevent many deaths in this age group could be prevented by giving access to safe water, sanitation facilities, and hygiene.

However, the consequences extend beyond infectious diseases. Maintaining basic hygiene practices isn’t easy without a reliable water supply. Stagnant bodies of water, often caused by inadequate water supply and poor wastewater disposal, create ideal breeding grounds for insects such as Anopheles mosquitoes and Aedes mosquitoes, which transmit diseases like malaria and dengue fever. In this context, insufficient water, sanitation, and hygiene services contribute to the spread of infectious diseases and pose a significant health risk.

Chemical contamination of drinking water is also a danger. Millions consume water polluted by industrial wastewater or naturally contaminated with toxic substances such as arsenic or fluoride. Also, heavy metals like lead can leach from old pipes into the water supply, causing long-term health damage. Various pollutants from natural or human sources have contaminated and caused unclean drinking water. The following factors are common causes of water pollution and pose serious health risks:

• Bacteria & Viruses: e.g., E. coli, cholera, or hepatitis A due to fecal contamination.
• Heavy Metals: e.g., lead, arsenic, or mercury from old pipes or industrial pollution.
• Chemicals: Pesticides, pharmaceutical residues, or chlorine can enter water supplies.
• Microplastics: Tiny plastic particles from packaging or cosmetics.
• Turbidity & Sediments: Particles can enter the water from faulty pipelines or flooding.

Dry-season

The long dry season is a significant issue which significantly reduces water availability in some regions. In remote parts of the Nusa Tenggara islands, many people must travel long distances to fetch water – a time-consuming process that often affects children and women and limits school attendance and economic activities. Especially during the dry season, water sources in these areas are unreliable, forcing families to rely on unsafe surface water and drink contaminated water. Climate change further exacerbates water supply problems in remote regions. Altered rainfall patterns and extreme weather events such as droughts or floods affect water availability and destroy infrastructure.

Bari

From our recent research in Bari, a village in West Manggarai located on the coast, Komodo Water has identified the water quality in wells at 25 sites (Komodo Water, 2024). The water analysis indicates very high levels of TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) at almost all locations, suggesting severe water contamination (Komodo Water, 2024). The high TDS levels show that the water quality is inferior and heavily contaminated with salts, metals, and pollutants, making it unsuitable for consumption and harmful to health. The electrical conductivity measurements also show very high values on average, indicating that the water in the wells is either brackish or saltwater. This water is likely entering the groundwater and wells through intrusions, which explains the high salt concentration. This poor water quality indicates that the water source is unsuitable for human consumption and poses serious health risks.

In regions where dissolved solids (TDS) and salty compounds are heavily contaminated water, effective water treatment is essential. One of the best and most widely used methods for treating water with high salt content and other contaminants is Reverse Osmosis (RO). Reverse Osmosis is particularly effective in removing dissolved solids (TDS), including salts, heavy metals, and other chemical pollutants. This treatment method significantly improves water quality by removing contaminants and drastically reducing the concentration of TDS. It results in clean and safe drinking water, which is crucial for the health of the village community. In addition to salts, Reverse Osmosis can also remove harmful metals such as lead, arsenic, and mercury, which can also be present in contaminated water. Removing these metals protects the residents of Bari from long-term health hazards. Using treated water, purified through Reverse Osmosis, reduces the risk of waterborne diseases and promotes the population’s overall health. Continuous access to clean drinking water contributes to a better quality of life and reduces the risk of diseases like gastrointestinal infections caused by contaminated water.

Conclusion

While Indonesia’s natural water resources may seem adequate, inadequate water treatment, pollution, and geographic barriers have significantly limited access to safe drinking water. The consequences for public health are severe, and the threats posed by microbial and chemical contamination compromise the population’s well-being, particularly in remote regions. Introducing technologies such as reverse osmosis or other water treatment systems offers a promising solution to improve water quality in heavily contaminated areas and reduce the risk of waterborne diseases. In addition to technological solutions, educating the public about hygiene standards and fostering increased collaboration between the government, local communities, and social enterprises to find solutions collectively is essential.

Sources:

• Fulazzaky, M.A., 2014. Challenges of Integrated Water Resources Management in Indonesia. Water, 6(7), pp.2000-2020. doi: 10.3390/w6072000.
• Komodo Water Water Data Research (2024) Available at:https://www.komodowater.org [Accessed 25 March 2025].
• Our World in Data, 2021. Death rates from unsafe water sources. Available at: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/death-rates-unsafe-water?tab=chart&country=IDN[Accessed 25 March 2025].
• World Health Organization (WHO), 2023.Drinking-water. [online] Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water [Accessed 25 March 2025].