The Role Of Local Wisdom In Maintaining Sustainability Of Community-Based Drinking Water Services In Karangasem Regency

Abstract

Local wisdom is the value or attitude of local people's lives in interacting with the environment in which they live in a wise life. The province of Bali, which is famous for its rich customs and culture, has local wisdom that cannot be abandoned. According to the teachings of Hinduism which is contained in one of the Puranas which contains the teachings of Sad Kerthi, which in its understanding maintains the harmony and balance of Bali's nature, one of them is Danu Kerthi, is one of the concepts of keeping water sustainable which aims to increase the level of community welfare, the implementation of Danu Kerthi for the Karangasem community aims to provide sustainable water services in the community with limited uneven distribution of water. This study aims to examine the role of community local wisdom in maintaining the sustainability of drinking water services seen from public perceptions regarding awareness of protecting the environment, making regulations related to maintaining water ecosystems, management and use and collaboration to maintain water sources. The population in this study were households using community-based drinking water services in Karangasem Regency. The sample of this research was 398 respondents. Data were collected using observation, questionnaires and in-depth interviews which were analyzed using SEM (Structural Equation Modeling). The wisdom carried out by the people of Karangasem Regency in managing water sources, by looking at the condition of the community and the potential of the water they have, so that it raises public awareness to participate in protecting water sources, implementing regulations and collaboration in maintaining water ecosystems. Public perception of water resource management tends to be positive, this is due to the high level of community understanding regarding the value of Danu Kerthi's local wisdom, although the respondent’s answers varied due to the different conditions of each respondent's area due to the different water potential. The application of the Danu Kerthi concept must also be balanced with the level of understanding of drinking water managers, so that the sustainability of water services in Karangasem district is expected to run well.