Governor Phakaphong reiterated that the impending water restrictions that were to come into effect today had been cancelled.
The restrictions were to affect large residential and business areas in from Koh Kaew to Rassada and along Saiyuan Rd in Rawai from today (Feb 8) through to the end of February.
“The cause (for introducing the water rationing) is that the water levels in three reservoirs, Bang Neow Dum in Srisoonthorn, Bang Wad in Kathu and Khlong Katha in Chalong, are dramatically low,” said the PWA announcement issued only on Tuesday (Feb 5).
“The water levels will not enough if rain does not come in two to three months,” the notice added.
“The Phuket Provincial Water Authority office will continue with the water distribution until the drought crisis is gone,” the PWA statement said. (See story here.)
However, Governor Phakaphong announced yesterday (Feb 7), “The Phuket Irrigation Office has confirmed that all three reservoirs still have sufficient amount of raw water and can supply water to the Phuket office of the Provincial Waterworks Authority as usual.”
Governor Phakphong stressed, “The province has not been complacent about the matter.”
“The relevant authorities have presented the results of their study on water management in Phuket as a guideline for prevention and correction of the issue,” he said.
“We ask residents and business not to panic about the matter and we confirm that Phuket has absolutely enough water to provide services to people and businesses everywhere in Phuket,” the Governor said.
Governor Phakaphong gave no indication of what the water management plan entailed, and no explanation of how much water was estimated to be “absolutely enough” to last the island until the annual rains return in May – more than two months away.
Only yesterday did Somsawat Chaisinsod, Director of Phuket Provincial Irrigation Office, explain to The Phuket News that, “The PWA has issued a statement on a misunderstanding of the information that we have given them.”
However, Mr Somsawat confirmed that the statement was “technically accurate”.
“We can supply the water that the PWA has formally requested us to,” Mr Somsawat said.
Governor Phakaphong’s assurances yesterday follow Phuket PWA Branch Manager Graisorn Mahamad telling The Phuket News on Wednesday that Governor Phakaphong had agreed to formally request to call in the Royal Rainmkaing Department and ordered water officials to lift the water restrictions planned for “find another way” to resolve the island’s water supply crisis. (See story here.)
Meanwhile, the PWA today announced yet another water outage, this time in Patong.
Water supply to Patong (areas not speciefied) will be affected from 9am “until finished”, said the PWA announcement posted at about 11am today. (Click here.)
The PWA has been announcing isolated water outages all over the island on a near-daily basis for weeks, for a variety of reasons. The water outage in Patong today was due to a burst water main.
To follow the consistent, ongoing water outage announcements, follow the PWA Facebook page, PWAPhuket (Click here.)