The area, one of the poorest and most densely populated residential areas on the island, has been receiving deliveries of water supplies by Rassada Municipality trucks since Jan 15, Governor Phakaphong admitted.
He also noted, “I ordered 19 local administrative offices on Feb 11 to help people who are struggling with water outages in their areas.”
Also already running emergency water deliveries to the Soi Kingkaew area are Provincial Water Authority (PWA) trucks and soldiers from Army Camp Region 4, who together have 20 trucks at their disposal.
“This inspection is to support the efforts by officers and soldiers who brought the 20 army water trucks to help people,” Governor Phakaphong said.
Soi Kingkaew suffered the most in the water shortage crisis last year. The plight of the people was overlooked until the army stepped in to bring water-supply relief trucks from else where throughout Southern Thailand.
Gov Phakaphong noted yesterday, “This area in Rassada is quite crowded, as there are 40,000 people registered as living here, but around 200,000 people from other provinces [who are not registered] also living in the area.
“Additionally, most of the area is high land and the water pressure is not enough for water to reach the area,” he added.
Gov Phakaphong ordering all 19 local municipalities and administrations across the island to provide emergency water supplies wherever needed on Feb 19 comes a full month earlier than the same order issued last year, when the island suffered its worst water shortages in decades. (See story here.)
National officials for months have been warning of a worse dry season this year.
Phuket Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) Chief Graisorn Mahamad in January announced a slew of measures to conserve what little water supplies Phuket has in the hope of staving off serious water shortages across the island in the coming months.
Mr Graisorn’s warning was ominous: “We don’t have enough water to produce in 2020 because the water levels at the three main reservoirs – Bang Wad, Bang Neow Dum and Khlong Kratha reservoirs – are so low,” he told a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on Jan 15. (See story here.)
Water pressure of supply released from Bang Wad Reservoir to Patong and Wichit had already been reduced, he said.
People in Cherng Talay, Mai Khao, Thepkrasattri, Srisoonthorn and Pa Khlok were already suffering restricted water supply during specified hours, Mr Graisorn also said last month.
Late last month, the mains water pressure throughout Phuket Town was reduced from 9am-5pm and from 10pm to 5am each day. How much the water pressure had been reduced was not explained. (See story here.)
Koh Kaew OrBorTor last Friday (Feb 14) set up emergency water-distribution points for residents there suffering from water outages. (See story here.)
Meanwhile, Cherng Talay Municipality has already shut off mains water supply in its area from 10pm to 5am each day. (See story here.)
Water supply to a slew of private estate and condominium projects in Cherng Talay has been shut off entirely. (See story here.)
The Kamala Tambon Administrative Office (OrBorTor) this week also issued its own notice urging residents to save what water they can in the hope of making supplies last as long as possible. (See story here.)