Potential Regional Revenue for Bangli from Water Utilisation Fees Reaches Rp 700 Billion

The Bangli Regency Government (Pemkab Bangli) is proposing the collection of environmental service fees for the utilisation of water sources that currently flow to five districts in Bali. This collection of environmental service fees is estimated to potentially contribute to regional original revenue (PAD) of up to Rp 739.3 billion per year.

“Yes, this relates to Bangli’s PAD. The plan is to add to and strive for an increase in PAD,” said the Head of the Bangli Environmental Agency, I Putu Ganda Wijaya, to detikBali on Friday (10/4/2026).

Wijaya stated that the environmental service fees are currently just a proposal. In addition to being proposed to the Bangli DPRD, he mentioned that the idea has also been raised with Bali Governor Wayan Koster.

However, to date, there has been no significant follow-up. “It has never been discussed specifically. This includes discussions with the related districts and the central government,” said Wijaya.

Wijaya then explained the calculation of the fees at Rp 2,389 per cubic metre (m³) of water that flows and is utilised per district. Based on the calculations, water from all water sources in Bangli flows to 30 rivers.

These dozens of rivers are located in Badung Regency, Gianyar, Karangasem, Klungkung, and Buleleng Regencies. The potential volume of water flowing from Bangli to these five regions reaches 309,462 m³ per year.

“Water sources from the western tip of Kintamani to other areas in Bangli. Including water from Lake Batur, which also flows to those five regencies. But this is just an academic study,” he added.

Previously, Bangli Regent Sang Nyoman Sedana Arta claimed to have prepared a scheme for collecting these environmental service fees. The fees will be calculated based on the extent of water utilisation by the recipient regions.

“The details are in the document that I have submitted to the Bali Provincial Government. Under the law, recipients of environmental benefits must provide tangible economic contributions to the producing region,” said Sedana Arta on Thursday (9/4).

Sedana Arta hopes that the Bali Provincial Government will soon respond to the study results. This way, discussions with the five recipient regencies regarding the amount of the fees can be conducted promptly.

According to him, the flow of groundwater and rivers occurs naturally. Nevertheless, he stated that upstream areas as water sources are permitted to charge fees to downstream areas.