BALI COASTAL WATER TESTING: PROPOSAL

Buya A. Istiqlal

RESUME
Coastal water quality testing is mainly aiming for providing information for beach users whether the
beach is safe for any water activities or not. The testing will focus on microbiology and selected physical
and chemical analysis. The water samples will be taken at Suluban Beach, in Uluwatu and 66 Beach,
Kuta. The cost of complete microbial and physicochemical analysis is about IDR 4.500.000 per once. The
analysis result and all associated information will be published digitally and be accessible by everyone
who want to visit the beach.

BACKGROUND
Monitoring water quality in recreational dense beach is very important as it is considered that there is a
risk of infection from bacteria inhabits in water body or any chemical content exposed during swimming.
Analysis of water will be focused on bacteria and associated physiochemical factors. This operation’s
result should be broadcasted to public in order to notify them if there is an increasing risk of illness in
the beach. This is also a good idea to inform the beach users if the water condition is good and safe for
swimming. As the information of water condition would be provided constantly, the public awareness of
maintaining and upkeep the beach cleanness hopefully increases and the local government would also
help to improve the beach’s environment.

Basically, the laboratory microbiology analysis for water quality testing will obtain the level of such kind
of bacteria Enterococci sp, E. coli, and fecal coliform. Those bacteria inhabit in intestinal track of warm
blood animal and remain viable (alive and remain capable of infecting another organism) in water for a
variable period of time. The presence of those bacteria in water indicates the contamination of warm-
blood feces animal (Sargeant, 2014). Other species to consider is Staphylococcus aureus which commonly
cause of skin and respiratory infection. This species is an opportunistic pathogen carried by up to 40%
people of the world (Al-Zu' Bi, et al., 2004) and can survive in such extreme environmental condition like
salt water, sandy substrate and heat condition. As they are carried by many people naturally, people
who swim or bath in beach may accidentally shed the bacteria out of their body to seawater. Thus,
number of S. aureus usually associate with number of the beach user (Harris, et al., 2002) and it should
take to consideration for microbiology water testing.

In the other hand, in regard to physiochemical analysis, some indicator is possible to be determined
directly in the field such as water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity and water clarity using
special portable tools and kit. Other important variable that will be great to be analyzed in lab are
nitrogen and phosphorus, which causing rapid eutrophication if their presence are added as the result of
human activity. Those additional nutrient to water usually come from human and animal waste,
decomposing organic matter, fertilizer runoff, home detergent and industrial waste. The excessive
amount of those nutrient, as well as the presence of heavy metal and unnatural level of water
temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and salinity could directly poison human and native biota (WHO,
2003). Therefore, it is very necessary to take water sample for physiochemical analysis to understand
the presence of chemical pollutant in recreational beach.
The secondary observation of biological elements will be worthy to be add such as the presence of dog
and sea birds (may be the source of feces in the water), marine alga and benthic invertebrate animals
(may indicated the presence of chemical pollutant) on the sidelines of time.

PROTOCOLS
SAMPLING LOCATION
Water sampling will be taken at Suluban Beach (Uluwatu site) and 66 Beach (Kuta site). Those beaches
are selected because both of them are favorite beach for surfing and are probably having different
experience on pollutant exposure from tourism industry near them.

Suluban Beach is located in Uluwatu village, in South Kuta. Suluban Beach is also called Blue Point Beach
as there is Bluepoint Villa stand on the top of the edge of the beach. The beach is typically a rocky beach
with breaking wives presence a little further away from the beach. The beach substrate are mostly rocks,
roughly and complex so that many tide pool naturally occur. In the other hand, 66 Beach is situated at
Seminyak village, in Central Kuta. The beach are very famous tourism destination as there are a plenty
restaurant, café and beach club presence along the beach. The beach is typically sandy beach and the
wave are relatively strong every day.

5 sampling points will be taken on each location as sampling repetition horizontally along the beach. The
sampling points should be located near the people do their water activity the most.

FIGURE 1. WATER TESTING LOCATIONS, A. SULUBAN BEACH, B. DOUBLE SIX BEACH, RED DOT ( ) REPRESENTS FOR SAMPLING
POINT
FIELD EQUIPMENT
1. Sterile lightless polyethylene bottle sampling
2. Cooler container box for bottle sample
3. Field physicochemical testing kit (thermometer, pH meter, refractometer, etc.)
4. Field data form
5. Portable GPS
6. Sample tag/label paper
7. Gloves
8. Hand sanitizer
9. Writing equipment

FIELD SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

Before sampling, it is important to check the tidal level to ensure the presence of water and it is safe
for sampling.

Care should be used all the time to avoid contamination of the inside of the bottle and the cap. Submerge
the bottle sample up to the middle of water body (approximately at 30 cm depth). Be careful to not
disturb the bottom surface. Open the bottle’s cap in the water and let the water come in to the bottle
fully or up to shoulder level. Close the bottle in the water then store in the sample box carefully.

Several samples will be taken for each sample point, one is for microbiology analysis and the others are
for physicochemical analysis. In regard to physicochemical analysis, the sample will be taken and divide
into several bottles as the lab process requirement for several variant analysis. All the sample should be
transferred to the lab within 24 hours to be preserved and then be analyzed.

FIGURE 2. SAMPLING PROCEDURE

FIGURE 3. EXAMPLE OF FIELD DATA FORM THAT WILL BE USED

LABORATORY ANALYSIS
All samples will be analyze for E. coli, and Faecal coliform in Microbiology Laboratory of Biology
Department Udayana University and Total Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus, Ammonia, Fat/Oil, Total
Suspended Solid (TSS) and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) in Analytical Laboratory of Udayana
University.

The selection of method to analyze the microbe is between Multiple Fermentation Tube Technique,
Membrane Filter Technique or Chromogenic Substrate Technique, depending on funding. Regardless, all
the method used will obtain number population of bacteria in cfu/ml.

Detailed procedure will be provide once the method that will be used has decide.

REPORTING AND PRESENTING

The data result will be displayed with time series graph in weekly or monthly basis. The qualitative
information will also be provided. Recreational Water Quality Criteria by EPA (US EPA, 2012) and
Keputusan Menteri Negara Lingkungan Hidup No 51 Tahun 2004 Tentang Baku Mutu Air Laut (Menteri
Negara Lingkungan Hidup, 2004) will be used as standard of the water quality. Every particular results
and its related with environmental issues will be discussed in the report.

In order to make this information valuable, it would be better if the result obtained is posted in free
access website or social media.
TABLE 1. MICROBIOLOGY AND COMPLATE PHYSICOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS, UNIT VALUE, ESTIMATED TIME AND THEIR INDICATION

Microbiology Laboratory Analysis

No Variable Unit Estimated Time for Indication
Value Result
1 Escherichia coli cfu/ml 24 hours Contamination from warm-blood feces animal
2 Fecal Coliform cfu/ml 24 hours Contamination from warm-blood feces animal
3 Staphylococcus aureus cfu/ml 24 hours Contamination from mainly human with skin disease
Physical and Chemical laboratory Analysis

No Variable Unit Estimated Time for Indication

Value Result
1 Turbidity NTU 14 days Soil erosion, discharge, particle input from streams and rivers
2 Total Suspended Solid mg/L 14 days Soil erosion, discharge, particle input from streams and rivers
3 Biological Oxygen mg/L 14 days Usually indicates organic matter is present and bacteria are decomposing
Demand the waste
4 Chemical Oxygen mg/L 14 days Usually indicates organic matter is present and bacteria are decomposing
Demand the waste
5 Total Nitrogen mg/L 14 days Excessive fertilizer, chemical waste, home detergent, etc.
6 Total Phosphorus mg/L 14 days Excessive fertilizer, chemical waste, home detergent, etc.
7 Ammonia mg/L 14 days Excessive fertilizer, chemical waste, home detergent, etc.
8 Oil/Fat mg/L 14 days Input of oil, oil spilling from boat
9 Cadmium µg/L 14 days Input of industrial activity waste and discharge
10 Copper µg/L 14 days Input of industrial activity waste and discharge
11 Lead µg/L 14 days Input of fuel or gasoline
12 Zinc µg/L 14 days Input of industrial activity waste and discharge
COST
Following are the basic cost that will be incurred to pay include:

TABLE 2. WATER SAMPLING EQUIPMENT NEEDED

No. Item Price/item Quantity Total

Uluwatu Kuta
1 Cooler box blue marina 12s Rp 300.000 1 Rp 300.000
2 Bottle sample (100 ml polyethylene Rp 3.000 20 20 Rp 120.000
bottle)
3 Bottle sample (250 ml polyethylene Rp 5.000 20 20 Rp 200.000
bottle)
4 Dry Ice Rp 50.000 1 Rp 50.000
5 Water resistant pen, clipboard, etc. Rp 100.000 1 Rp 100.000
6 Labelling paper Rp 100.000 1 Rp 100.000
Total Rp 870.000

TABLE 3. LAB ANALYSIS COST PER ONCE

No. Analysis Price Quantity (number sample) Total

Uluwatu Kuta
1 E. coli and Total Rp 125.000 5 5 Rp 1.250.000
coliform
2 Total Nitrogen Rp 50.000 5 5 Rp 500.000
3 Total Phosphorus Rp 50.000 5 5 Rp 500.000
4 Ammonia Rp 50.000 5 5 Rp 500.000
5 Oil/Fat Rp 50.000 5 5 Rp 500.000
6 TSS Rp 50.000 5 5 Rp 500.000
7 BOD Rp 50.000 5 5 Rp 500.000
8 Total Rp 4.250.000
FIGURE 4. WATER TESTING FLOWCHART
REFERENCES
Al-Zu' Bi, E., Bdour, S. & Shehabi, A. A., 2004. Antibiotic Resistance Pattern of mecA-Positive
Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Clinical Specimens and Nasal Carriage. Microbial Drug
Resistance, 10(4), pp. 321-324.

Harris, L. G., Foster, S. J. & Richard, R. G., 2002. And Introduction to Staphylococcus aureus, and
Techniques for Identifying and Quantifying S. aureus Adhesins in Addition to Adhesion to
Biomaterial: Review. European Cells and Materials, Volume 4, pp. 39-60.

Menteri Negara Lingkungan Hidup, 2004. Keputusan Menteri Negara Lingkungan Hidup No 51 Tahun 2004,
Jakarta: Menteri Negara Lingkungan Hidup.

Sargeant, D. K., 2014. Standar Operating Procedure for BEACH Program Bacteria Sampling, Washington
DC: Environmental Assessment Program Washington State Department of Ecology.

US EPA, 2012. Recreational Water Quality Criteria, s.l.: Health and Ecological Criteria Division, Office
of Science and Technology, United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

WHO, 2003. Guidelines for Safe Recreational Water Environment. Volume 1. Coastal and Fresh Waters
ed. Geneva: World Health Organization.