ONWR invests 390 billion in water supply management in 2025

Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsuthin revealed after chairing a meeting of the National Water Resources Committee that the meeting approved a water resource action plan for fiscal year 2025.

More than 50,000 items from 24 agencies, eight ministries, 76 provinces, and more than 2,000 local government organisations from Bangkok and Pattaya, were discussed. An amount of 392,510 million baht is expected to increase water storage capacity by 1,352 million cubic metres. The area that residents would benefit from will increase by 6.77 million rai (approximately 1 trillion square metres), the protected area is 5.71 million rai, and the people benefit from 4.92 million households.

In addition, a draft plan was approved to drive clean water for consumption (2023 to 2037) with four strategies, 13 work plans.

Strategy 1:

Maintain and repair damaged water supply systems to be ready for use in 6,189 places, reducing water loss by 20% for the pipe system managed by the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MPWA) and by 25% for that overseen by the Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA).

Strategy 2:

Construction of a new waterworks or replace 9,825 existing waterworks, water production capacity of the Provincial Waterworks Authority and the Provincial Waterworks Authority to be expanded to 2.5 million cubic metres per day.

The water supply area is to be expanded to 1.6 million households. Waterworks are to be cleaned and improved at 19,106 locations, procuring water sources at 1,728 locations, and constructing waterworks systems. Artesian wells are to be drilled in areas where water is scarce with 1,167 projects in highland areas.

Strategy 3:

Quality of natural water sources, 9,000 samples to be inspected per year. Tap water quality to be examined at 7,773 locations, 69,914 departments of local administration, and 236 MWA/PWA branches.

Strategy 4: Training for departments of local administration and water supply management committee members, for 2,000 members per year, reported Thairath.

Public communication

Somsak emphasised that the National Water Resources Office (ONWR) explains weather issues in a way that is easy for the public to understand so that citizens are able to make the necessary preventions.

“Water supply system maintenance should be taken care of by the village fund because there is a maintenance budget. This will allow the village water supply to be used continuously. In the past, there was a lack of maintenance. I am the chairman of the decentralisation committee so I will do my part to help. I supervise all the relevant agencies including the ONWR. I hope to integrate the village and urban community funds so that people’s problems can be solved at once.”

The deputy PM said that he would ask the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to investigate the root cause of issues. A sub-committee will also be set up to assist the investigation process.