Pura Tirta Empul / Holy Spring Water Temple

Culture and history info

Tirta Empul temple (Indonesian: Pura Tirta Empul) is a Hindu Balinese water temple located near the town of Tampaksiring, Bali, Indonesia. The temple compound consists of a petirtaan or bathing structure, famous for its holy spring water, where Balinese Hindus go to for ritual purification. The temple pond has a spring which gives out fresh water regularly, which Balinese Hindus consider to be holy or amritha Tirta Empul means Holy Spring in Balinese.

For most of the time, Tirta Empul is believed as a source of clean water regarded as holy water used for Hindu ritual. However, the water quality began to deteriorate due to contamination from surrounding areas. As of August 2017, visitors are urged not to use the facilities on-site due to E.coli contamination of the water, caused by nearby residents dumping their garbage carelessly onto open water, and sewage channel to the river. The contamination may have resulted in at least one person developing a severe eye infection and nearly losing their eyesight from an aggressive infection.