RESIDENTS URGED TO CONSERVE WATER, OFFICIALS PONDER B1BN WATER PLAN
Udomphon Kan, Director of the Phuket Provincial office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPMPhuket), has urged Phuket residents to conserve water use as a measure to help avoid any water shortages as the ‘dry season’ continues.
Mr Udomphon assured that Phuket has enough water reserves for now, but expressed his concern for readiness in case water levels at the island’s three main reservoirs continue to fall as the dry season progresses.
According to the most recent reservoir report by the Phuket Provincial Irrigation Office, Bang Wad Reservoir in Kathu has 7.1 million cubic meters of water (about 69.6% full), Bang Neow Dum Reservoir in Srisoonthorn has 5.69mn cubic meters of water (about 73% full) and Klong Kata Reservoir in Chalong has 2.54mn cubic meters of water (61.4% full).
“The volume of water in all three reservoirs is expected to carry us through until April, and we have additional water sources from local tin mine ponds. Regardless, we are still seeking additional sources in case they become needed,” he said.
“We ask for cooperation from the people to use water economically and understand its value as much as possible,” Mr Udomphon said.
“And we ask for [the government] public relations to emphasise compliance with the government’s nine measures to support us through the dry season,” he added.
DDPM-Phuket has pumps, trucks and personnel ready in case they need to be deployed to help provide water to any areas on the island found without water supply, Mr Udomphon said.
SPLASH SPLURGE
The Phuket Provincial Water Resources
Subcommittee last week reviewed a list of water-resource projects costing in total more than B1 billion.
The meeting, held at Phuket Provincial Hall on Feb 7, was chaired by Phuket Vice Governor Norasak Suksombun and attended by representatives of various government agencies.
The agenda included discussions on rainfall patterns across the island, water levels in the three main reservoirs, water consumption and tap water production, with reports from the Southern Western Meteorological Center, the Phuket Irrigation...
...Office, the Phuket Waterworks Authority and Phuket City Municipality.
A significant point of discussion was the consideration of project plans aligned with the water resources action plan for fiscal year 2025, as well as those approved by the Cabinet during the mobile Cabinet meeting in Ranong on Jan 23.
Notably, at the mobile Cabinet meeting, the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) urged Phuket officials to submit additional water resources action plans and proposals for project plans, emphasising the importance of adherence to deadlines and procedural protocols, said an official report of the meeting.
It was disclosed that Phuket Provincial Office had reviewed 40 water resources project plans, totaling B601,259,000. The plans included various initiatives aimed at enhancing water resource management infrastructure and capabilities across the province.
The 40 projects were separated into two separate categories, with one category comprising 38 projects requiring a total budget of B575.449 million.
Among those were 30 projects under the Phuket Irrigation Office requiring a total of B426,019,000; four projects by the Phuket Waterworks Authority (PWA) requiring B24.195mn; a further two projects by the PWA requiring B22.244mn; one wastewater project requiring B85.481mn; and one project by Thepkrasattri Municipality, whose budget requirements was not reported.
The second category comprised the two water projects already approved by Cabinet: the reinforcement of the banks of Klong Bang Yai nest to Satree Phuket School under a budget of B25.810mn, with a B15mn line of credit extended to the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO) to complete the project; and a PWA project to expand water distribution system throughout Na Ko-Bang Jo Rd area in Srisoonthorn under a budget of B10.81mn.
The official report of the meeting made no mention of the long-awaited water-supply pipeline from Phang Nga, progress of which stalled in Bangkok long before the national election in last year.
In closing, the meeting underscored the necessity of reviewing and approving project plans in accordance with the established water resource action plan.
The deliberations reflected a concerted effort to address the evolving water resource needs of Phuket, ensuring sustainable management and accessibility for its residents, concluded the report.