NARMADA… Water of Life!

The people of Lombok need no introduction to Narmada drinking water; having been raised on the pure water of Lombok and the legends that surround it. Known locally as Narmada… Awet Muda, the Indonesian term loosely translates to mean "Fountain of Youth" and the people believe that drinking water from the Narmada springs helps to keep a person young and healthy.

Now a locally based company is making Lombok's pure spring water famous internationally, by exporting Narmada water to Australia. Narmada Water Pty Ltd is owned by the Villa and Hut group, who also export quality Indonesian furniture through their international retail outlets. Co-founders Nigel and Jackie Ames are also well known locally for their successful Scallywags Resort properties on Gili Trawangan and Gili Air, and have had a strong link with Lombok for many years.

Which is why, one day when loading a shipping container with furniture and finding that he had empty space, Nigel threw in some boxes of Narmada water to stop the furniture from moving around and fill the spaces... and the rest is history! The water proved to be popular and more economical than water available in Australia, so the company set up Narmada Water Pty Ltd to import and sell the water to Australians.

The irony of exporting Indonesian water to Australians is not lost on Nigel. Up until the 1990's, many Australian tourists were afraid to drink Indonesian water when on holidays in Bali. Now they clamour to buy the refreshing and pure water that flows from underground springs in the foothills of West Lombok!

The "Fountain of Youth" legends are probably based on old stories of one of the last Kings of Lombok, Anak Agung Ngurah Gede Karangasem, who created his summer palace in the cool hills north of the city of Cakranegara in Lombok in around 1805.

The abundant water and streams in the area allowed him to build Taman Narmada (or Narmada Park, sometimes called the Narmada Water Palace), with fountains, pools and artificial lakes. The gardens were both a cool retreat for the King to rest, as well as a place of worship. When the King became too old to make the traditional pilgrimage to the lake at the top of Mt Rinjani, he created a replica of this lake in his palace grounds and made his offerings there.

During the time of Dutch occupation of Lombok, King Anak Agung Lingsit, his son and heir to the throne, was exiled to Jakarta for some 50 years before returning to Cakranegara in the early throws of the independence movement.

Legend has it that the King was 70 years old with a long white beard when he returned, and people were amazed when he married for the first time and fathered 5 children. His amazing virility was attributed to the life giving waters of Narmada.

And analysis of the water is showing that there is plenty of evidence to support what the Lombok people know: Narmada water is very good for you!

Rated as one of the earth's most pure streams, Narmada water flows from the crater lake on Mount Rinjani into the springs below. Mt Rinjani, Lombok's towering volcano, is steeped in legend and is regarded as a holy site by many local Sasaks and the Balinese. Thus Narmada water is a gift from nature, originating in the pure volcanic lake and sourced near the age old temple high in the mountains.

A mineral analysis of the water shows that it contains 4.3 mg/L of Sodium, 8.5 mg/L of Calcium, 12.8 mg/L of Magnesium and 3.8 mg/L of Potassium.

Narmada water publicity says that the water has almost 50% less sodium (salt) content, and 30% more calcium content than Mount Franklin water (a leading brand of Australian water), as well as significantly more magnesium and potassium -- making it the number one choice for people looking for a natural and macrobiotic water that re-hydrates and refreshes like no other water on earth!

Not only is the water good for the people of Australia, but it's now good for the people of Lombok in more ways than one: Narmada Water Pty Ltd, has pledged to donate 10% of the cost price of a carton of water to the Bio-sand Filter Project in Lombok.

This critical project is coordinated by the Rotary Club of Mataram, and helps to bring clean drinking water to remote villages in Lombok.

Many remote villages in Indonesia have problems because of the lack of access to clean, affordable drinking water. Sanitation and knowledge of hygiene is poor, there is a shortage of toilets, and sewage systems are almost non-existent. Because of overcrowding, where septic tank systems do exist they are often built too close to wells, resulting in sewage polluting the water tables. This lack of clean water leads to a variety of illnesses, including typhoid, cholera, skin diseases and diarrhoea. Some of these illnesses, particularly in babies and old people, often prove fatal.

The water filters supplied by Rotary are very simple in design, being made from reinforced concrete and have no moving parts. Water, typically from a well, is poured into the top of the filter and passes through a layer of special sand, through two layers of gravel and eventually out through a spout. Dirt and other materials that make well water cloudy are trapped in the sand.

The main work of the filter is carried out in the bio-layer that forms after one to three weeks of operation at the top of the layer of sand. In this bio-layer, the 'good micro-organisms' eat the 'bad' bacteria and pathogens. The filters have been extensively tested throughout the world. The overall conclusion is that they can eliminate over 95% of fecal coliform and e-coli and over 99% of protozoa and helminths (worms). The filters can produce approximately 80 litres of clean water per day -- more than enough for a family.

Since 2007, Rotary Mataram has installed over 1100 of these simple water filters into villages throughout Lombok, giving the local people free access to clean and safe drinking water, and helping to eliminate the diseases that traditionally arise from drinking contaminated well water.

Narmada Water Australia hopes to raise enough money to help The Rotary Club build and install a minimum of 100 additional Bio-sand Filters this year.

Recently, Narmada Water co-founder Jackie Ames presented Rotary Club of Mataram President, Howard Singleton, with the first cheque for Rp 8 500 000 from sales of Narmada water. The money will be used to provide at least 30 water filters to villages in Lombok… part of Rotary's programme of "Water for Life", thanks to the generosity and forward thinking of Narmada Water Pty Ltd!

Taken from The Lombok Guides magazines