High water salinity 'to persist until May'
The Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA) said on Wednesday (January 1) that the saltwater intrusion problem in the city's supplies will last until May.
MWA Expert Level 10 Chaiwat Vorapeboonpong said that the current salinity of tap water was five to ten fold higher than the normal level.
“Doctors have warned patients with kidney, heart, brain and high blood pressure problems to use the water carefully,” he said.
According to the MWA’s real-time water-quality monitoring system, the situation of saltwater intrusion was as follows;
On January 1, 2020, at 8.30pm, salinity was 720 milligrams per litre.
On December 31, 2019, at 7.40 pm, salinity was 660mg per litre.
On December 30, at 6.30pm, salinity was 740mg per litre.
On December 29, at 6pm, salinity rose sharply to 1,030mg per litre.
On December 28, at 8.40pm, salinity had almost doubled to 2,030mg per litre.