At 4pm a team of navy officers, Mai Khao Orbortor officers, fishery officials and environmental officers were called to investigate 15 shrimp farms in Mai khow that were alleged to have released polluted water back into the local water supply.
It had been said that the putrid water had killed fish and trees in the area, and that the fresh water had become unusable.
During the raids, officials found that eight of the farms had leaking drainage systems which leaked contaminated water into the fresh water supply and some land areas.
Officials said the salinity of the contaminated water was about 5-10 grams and that this water dissolved into the fresh water wells of villagers in Moo 5 and Moo 6 of Mai Khao affecting more than 30 homes.
For the past three months, residents of these homes have had to pay more than B300 per month to buy clean water to consume.
Wat Mai Khao, which has more than four rai of land, has also been affected. Most of the fish that residents had released there and a number of trees on the land have died due to the leaks.
Mai Khao resident Wiroj Prasert, 54, said, “Today we cannot drink or use water from our well. We have been using the well since our grandparents time, but now we now have to buy water. We want officials to take care of this problem fast.”
Officials have now ordered the eight shrimp farms to fix their leaking drainage systems within 15 days. If this is not done they will enforce the law and close the businesses.
In the meantime, the Mai Khao OrBorTor will send water trucks with fresh water for the residents to use.