ANNUAL RAINS ARRIVE JUST AS WATER SHORTAGES HIT RESIDENTS
Scattered showers across the island this past week brought much-welcomed relief to the island’s main water reservoirs, two of which were running low just as the rains arrived.
Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat visited local villagers in Kamala last Saturday (May 4) after their household water supply ran dry.
Joining Governor Sophon in delivering water to the households was Phuket MP Chalermpong Saengdee, along with other high-ranking local officials, including Dr Somkid Chokong, who serves as Advisor to the Phuket Governor, and Santad
Khumitr. Vice President of the Kamala Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor).
The gubernatorial entourage oversaw delivery of water to people in need in Moo 3, Kamala.
“Local government organisations can use budget funds to distribute water to help citizens who are experiencing drought problems according to regulations,” Governor Sophon explained.
“At this time, citizens in Phuket Province are facing a shortage of water for consumption in about 20 communities,” he said.
“Therefore, we leave it to community leaders in local areas to pay close attention and help take care of the people [in need of water],” he added.
Local administrations will be able to source water to supply households in need via the Provincial Waterworks Authority, Governor Sophon said.
“There will be approval for local administrative organisations to receive water from the Provincial Waterworks Authority’s sources to distribute to the people for solving problems,” he said.
Governor Sophon urged people to not worry as rains were predicted to arive this week, which they did right on cue.
“However, we ask for cooperation from the public to use water economically, because Phuket is an island. There are few sources of raw water,” he added.
Governor Sophon pointed out that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had already approved a project to bring water from the Ratchaprapha Dam (the Cheow Lan Reservoir) in Surat Thani Province to bolster raw water supply to Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi.
“This will be good news for the people of Phuket province soon,” he said.
The emergency supply of water to 20 communities across Phuket followed calls for people to not worry amid assurances by key water officials just days earlier that Phuket had enough water to supply businesses and residents until the annual rains returned.
According to the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR), as of...
...Monday (May 6) Bang Wad reservoir in Kathu was down to 15% full, with 1.56 million cubic metres of water and Klong Kata reservoir in Chalong was 23% full, with 980,000 cubic metres of water, while the Bang Neow Dum reservoir in Srisoonthorn remained 44% full, with 3.17mn cubic metres of water.
‘JUST IN CASE’ The Phuket branch of the Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) spent more than B12 million on securing 2.15 million cubic metres of water from private water sources in case the annual rains of the southwest monsoon arrived late.
Despite isolated intermittent showers starting to dampen the island last week, Phuket PWA Manager Sukrit Klinson just last week said that the dry season was not yet over.
Mr Sukrit noted that at that time the total overall water reserves at the three main reservoirs were below 50%.
While noting the increasing number of people on the island, Mr Sukrit still remained confident that there would be enough water to see island residents through until the annual rains arrived.
Regardless, the Phuket PWA had spent “approximately B12mn” on securing a total of 2,150,500 cubic metres of water from private water sources, Mr Sukrit said.
A request for a budget of “approximately B28mn” had also been submitted just in case, he added.
The PWA had an emergency plan in place to support drought measures and the management of water use in the following year, said Mr Sukrit.
No details of those plans were explained.