PWA battles severe drought

To cope with the severe drought situation, the Cabinet yesterday approved a Bt99-billion budget through the Finance Ministry to help farmers in the Chao Phraya and Mae Klong river basins alter their farming methods. It also granted another Bt3 billion to the Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives Ministry to help drought-affected farmers.

It was reported that since February 16, PWA branches in Khon Kaen’s Nong Rua district, Nakhon Ratchasima’s Phimai district and Nakhon Sawan’s Tha Tako district had been facing water shortages, and some areas within these branches cannot provide tap water all day.

PWA Region 6 manager Serm Huegkhuntod stated that within his area of responsibility in five provinces in the Northeastern region, Khon Kaen, Kalasin, Roi Et, Maha Sarakham and Chaiyaphum, there was one area that could not distribute water to consumers in Phu Wiang district in Khon Kaen because the water supply had completely dried up.

Phu Wiang district is under the authority of the PWA’s Nong Rua district branch and has around 2,000 water users in the area.

 

Seven wells dug as emergency assistance

Serm said PWA Region 6 had given emergency help to the area by digging seven wells to use groundwater to provide tap water. Drinking water had also been transported by trucks to the area.

“We are trying as best as we can to supply drinking water to the people there, but there is not enough running water for all day, so I would like everyone to save water,” he said.

As his responsibility is highly dependant on water from the Ubonrat Dam, which has only 74 million cubic metres of water remaining, or just 4 per cent of full capacity, he said the dam discharged 500,000 cubic metres of water per day and only 100,000 cubic metres was needed to provide tap water. Therefore, the supply will last until May.

The Metropolitan Waterworks Authority’s deputy governor Narongrit Srisathitnarakul also gave assurances that the metropolitan area of Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan would have enough water until the rainy season.

“This Thursday and Friday there will be a drill to test our plans to cope with a water shortage in Bangkok. We will try out plans to use an alternative source of water for the Bangkok area to ensure that even if the water shortage worsens, people will still have access to tap water,” Narongrit said.

However, he said that even if the Irrigation Department ensured that there was enough water for Bangkok, people would still have to use water sparingly, as the supply is very scarce in the dry season.