Phuket Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn chaired a high-level meeting yesterday (Mar 23) at the Provincial Waterworks Authority Phuket Branch in Kathu to assess current water levels and coordinate management strategies.
Officials reported that Phuket’s three main reservoirs currently hold about 12 million cubic metres of water, or 52% of total capacity. At current consumption rates, this is sufficient for approximately 100 days – covering demand through to the end of June if no additional rainfall occurs.
Despite longstanding limitations due to Phuket’s geography as a mountainous island, authorities said the situation remains under control. Rapid runoff during the rainy season often leads to flooding, while limited natural storage contributes to shortages in drier months. Increasing demand driven by tourism and construction has added further pressure in recent years.
However, water supply is being actively stabilised through multiple channels. The Provincial Waterworks Authority is currently producing around 126,720 cubic metres of water per day across eight treatment plants.
This is being supplemented by approximately 100,000 cubic metres per day from the Royal Irrigation Department, alongside additional purchases from private suppliers and localised community water management efforts, explained an official report of the meeting.
Forecasts from the Southern Meteorological Center (West Coast) indicate that seasonal rainfall is expected to begin around Apr 20, or by May 1 at the latest, which should help replenish reservoir levels and ease pressure on the system.
To strengthen oversight, Gov Nirat has ordered the creation of an integrated water management database, enabling closer real-time monitoring across all agencies. Local administrative organisations have also been tasked with surveying water production capacity in their respective areas, including identifying potential private-sector sources.
Meanwhile, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation has prepared contingency plans, identifying more than 2,647 резервe water sources, including groundwater and shallow wells, to be deployed in the event of shortages.
The meeting also reviewed progress on major infrastructure projects aimed at improving long-term water security, including the expansion of the Phang Nga–Phuket water supply system and ongoing studies into sourcing additional water from Ratchaprapha Dam.
Officials said coordination with the private sector will continue as part of efforts to develop more sustainable solutions to Phuket’s recurring water challenges.