A spring suddenly emerges by the roadside near a village
Claims arise that drinking the water relieved pain
Revealed to be caused by a burst water pipe in the area
In an Indonesian village, a spring that suddenly emerged has spread rumors that it is 'holy water' capable of curing diseases, leading nearby residents to fight over who could take the water. On April 22 (local time), local media outlets such as RADARTVNEWS reported on a spring in the vicinity of Pekalongan, Central Java, which residents have been calling 'holy water.' This spring suddenly appeared by the roadside in the village on April 20. Since then, residents have believed that the water possesses special, blessed properties and have flocked to the site, eager to drink from it.
In an Indonesian village, a spring that suddenly emerged has spread rumors as 'holy water' that cures diseases, causing nearby residents to fight over who can take the water. Photo by Antara Megapolitan
Amid this, claims emerged that drinking the water alleviated bodily pain, which further strengthened the residents' beliefs. Videos showing groups of residents gathering with various containers to collect the water spread on social networking services (SNS), turning the spring into a nationwide sensation in Indonesia. However, an investigation by local authorities revealed that the spring was actually caused by a leak from a burst underground water pipe. Local police immediately repaired the leaking pipe and restored the normal water supply. Authorities are also working to provide residents with accurate information to prevent further misunderstandings.
In an Indonesian village, a spring that suddenly emerged has spread rumors as 'holy water' that cures diseases, causing nearby residents to fight over who can take the water. Photo by Antara Megapolitan
After watching the video, Indonesian netizens commented, "Life is so hard that we consider any strange occurrence a blessing," and expressed relief by saying, "At least it was a burst water pipe and not a septic tank." Others criticized the situation, stating, "Rather than just laughing it off, we need to address the water infrastructure in villages that still struggle to access clean water."
Meanwhile, despite Indonesia's nickname as the 'country of water,' the nation is currently experiencing water shortages, especially in the capital city Jakarta. Although Indonesia has abundant water resources, the causes of the shortage include climate factors such as drought and El Nino, as well as the depletion of water sources due to indiscriminate groundwater development. Furthermore, according to a recent report by local media outlet Kompas (KOMPAS), Indonesia's water security level ranked among the lowest out of 100 countries worldwide.
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