The ONWR is special in that it operates directly under the Prime Minister’s Office. Specifically, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is the Chairman of the OWNR Executive Committee.
The agency was established last year by direct order of PM Prayut to resolve the country’s recurring water crises in the hope of avoiding disaster. The ONWR only last week again listed Phuket as one of 22 provinces at risk of a dire water shortage.
ONWR Secretary-General Somkiat Prajamwong delivered his message in person today (Oct 28) at a meeting of government officials at Phuket Provincial Hall, attended by Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana.
The focus of the meeting was given as to prepare water supply plans and budgets and action plans for 2020-2022 for Phuket in order to come up with solutions of integrated water problems of floods, droughts and wastewater.
ONWR Chief Mr Somkiat explained that the Prime Minister's orders are to have a process for creating water resources management plans and flood prevention areas for economic units by the ONWR collaborating with agencies related to the preparation of water resource management plans and flood prevention plans in important economic areas of the country, including prioritising efforts in various provinces such as Phuket, Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai.
The aim is to implement short-, medium- and long-term plans by integrating government, local and private agencies to solve water problems as a whole system, he added.
Mr Somkiat noted that about 80% of the people in Phuket rely on municipal water supply.
“Currently the average demand is 220,000 cubic meters per day, or 80 million m3 per year, while the current production capacity is about 188,000 m3 per day, or 68.62mn m3 per year,” he added.
Mr Somkiat pointed out that the three water-production stations under the Phuket Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) can produce 84,000m3/day or 30mn m3/year.
Three stations under the Public Water Division of Phuket City Municipality can produce 41,000m3/day, or 15mn m3/year, while seven stations under the public water divisions of other local administrations can produce 15,000m3/day, or 5mn m3/year.
The entire public water production is supplemented by some eight to 10 stations operated by private companies that can produce 48,000m3/day, or 15mn m3/year, he added.
“As can be seen, the amount of water produced is insufficient for people’s needs, so additional water sources have to be found,” Mr Somkiat said.
“From the above information, it was found that the amount of water produced is not enough to meet demand of the people, therefore there is a need to develop more water sources,” he added.
After delivering his message to Phuket officials, Mr Somkiat explained to the press, “Phuket is a target province that is expected to be affected by water shortages even though the area has a lot of rain.
“The Prime Minister has reiterated his request for the need to develop long-term preparations, with today's meeting having two conclusions.
“The first is ‘How to solve water shortages’. However, Phuket has sufficient water sources but still lacks of the means to maintain its water retention network.
“That has to be linked together, all of which will require a survey to make clear which areas are to be targetted, how much water is needed and which areas will be water storage areas.
“This requires cooperation in all sectors, including the PWA and the public water divisions of the local administrative organisation. They need to help each other to come up with the data required,” he said.
“When we have clear information about water demand, it will be summarised so that we know when there is a need for water, where the water will be taken from, whether it will be taken from a reservoir or from a canal or creek first and which water will be stored for use in cases where absolutely necessary, not to mention that groundwater is another source. All this takes planning in advance,” Mr Somkiat said.
The focus on Phuket is included in a master plan for the country, Mr Somkiat noted.
“A five-year plan must be made. The ONWR has already received water management plans from various departments, but some agencies have yet to inform us of their proposals. We are now asking for their cooperation.
“And the provincial governor will be involved in the development of the integrated the plan in order to be concrete and truly meet the water usage needs of Phuket,” Mr Somkiat said.
ONWR Chief also gave local officials a very short deadline to comply with their cooperation.
“The plan from Phuket Province is expected to take no more than 10 days for us to receive because the Phuket Governor will call a meeting of relevant agencies to expedite the plan in order to get consistent information in both the requirements of water use and raw water sources.
“This matter is the prime minister's priority. He has reiterated clearly that he does not want water shortages, especially in important economic areas such as Phuket province,” Mr Somkiat said.