Phuket water supply reservoirs 65% full

The island’s three main reservoirs ‒ Bang Neow Dum in Srisoonthorn, Bang Wad in Kathu and Klong Kata in Chalong ‒ are in total 65% full, Phuket officials explained at a meeting chaired by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew on Thursday (Mar 30).

The three main reservoirs are currently holding a total of 14 million cubic metres of water, said Nattawipa Limkijprasert, the Policy and Operation Analyst from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket Office (DDPM-Phuket).

Compared with their combined total capacity of 21.53mn cubic metres, their current water reserves at the three main reservoirs corresponds to 65% of the maximum capacity, she said.

Chaiwat Thongseechan, chief of the water supply and maintenance division at the Phuket Irrigation Office, said that throughout April and May the plan was to provide the Phuket Waterworks Authority [PWA] 6 million cubic metres of water to be used as mains supply.

“Even if there is no rain at all during the rest of the dry season, there will still be enough water to supply the PWA through to the end of July.

Regardless, Mr Chaiwat urged people to make an effort to reduce the volume of water they use.

EMERGENCY MEASURES

Ms Nattawipa explained that DDPM-Phuket used four levels to describe the water shortage risk in areas across Phuket:

1. High risk zones, which are expected to have sufficient water supply usually until the end of March. There are 19 high risk areas, including communities in Kamala, Patong, Thepkasattri, Mai Khao and Wichit.
2. Moderate risk zones, which are expected to have sufficient water supply usually until the end of April. There are 23 moderate risk areas, including communities in Kamala, Mai Khao, Wichit, and Chalong.
3.  Monitored zones, which are expected to have sufficient water supply usually until the end of May. There are 27 monitored zones, including communities in Patong, Cherng Talay, Pa Klok, Mai Khao, Koh Kaew, Talad Yai (in Phuket Town) and Wichit.
4.  No-risk zones, which are expected to have sufficient water supply usually until the end of June. There are 97 ‘no risk zones’, with such communities all across Phuket.

Ms Nattawipa said DDPM-Phuket, through coordination with the Phuket Irrigation Office and the PWA, regularly reviewed the water supply situation in communities that often experienced water shortage problems.

The DDPM-Phuket also cooperated with Phuket Provincial Agriculture and Cooperatives Office to prepare a water supply for agricultural purposes, Ms Nattawipa said.

DDPM-Phuket had the manpower and equipment ready to respond to any emergency water supply situation that may arise, Ms Nattawipa assured.

“A special team will be set up to assist people in the risk areas. The team will be on 24-hour call,” she said.

“Teams of police, army and officials from the Department of Provincial Administration [DOPA] in each area will monitor and assist any residents experiencing [water shortage] problems,” she added.

Ms Nattawipa called on local officials to survey their areas of responsibility that are at risk of water shortages.

Officials can report their findings through the government web portal drought66.disaster.go.th and report their data to the respective district office in their area for analysis so that better water management policies can be created.