In Timor-Leste, local people sustain a long tradition of applying traditional
knowledge to secure access to resources. Today many people in remote rural areas apply
this traditional knowledge to access clean water in the face of climate change. However
some traditional knowledge in the country is almost becoming extinct because some
communities have started to use modern scientific knowledge. The study was conducted
in two different places in Timor-Leste which represented different communities from
inland and the coastal areas on how the local people in these areas are using their
knowledge to get clean water during dry and rainy seasons in an effort to adapt to climate
change. The main result from this research was that there are still many forms of
knowledge in use with traditional rituals and tools passed down from ancestors that can
be useful to communities to secure clean water. However, lack of research on the extent
and efficacy of traditional knowledge is an obstacle to understanding effectiveness of
traditional skills in the country in the era of modern technology. Therefore it is essential
to continue to apply traditional knowledge with other knowledge by the local people and
government authorities