Contaminated water supply leaves residents in Buriram with painful rashes and sores

Residents are pleading for urgent assistance to address their contaminated water supply, which has caused rashes and sores all over their bodies in the Mueang district, Buriram province. The village head says he is aware of the issue and is preparing a budget to address the problem.

Residents from Nong Bon and Khok Phet villages in the Khlanta sub-district, Mueang district, Buriram province, reported the problems faced due to the unclean water. After using the water, they experienced severe itching and developed sores. Residents urged the authorities to address the issue immediately.

Upon investigation, it was found that water usage and the colour of the water in Nong Bon village (Moo 10) and Khok Phet village (Moo 9) appeared normal with clear and non-cloudy water. However, residents claim the water is polluted, with more than 100 households affected by itching and sores after using the water.

A 49 year old resident, Wasana Chuan-Kratok from Nong Bon village, showed sores that have developed on her body due to the contaminated water. She mentioned that around two months ago, the village’s water supply became foul-smelling and caused itching when used for bathing.

Wasana added that despite notifying the water supply officials, the situation remained unchanged. In an attempt to ease the itching, some residents are using a mixture of coconut husk and soap to clean their skin. Wasana expressed concern for young children with delicate skin and the elderly, like 80 year old Boon Sri-Lamai, who have to cope with the poor water quality. They are now using rainwater collected in pots to bathe conservatively until a solution is found.

Sommai Tonchan, the village head of Khlanta sub-district, acknowledged the issue and explained that each village has its own water management system. Khok Phet (Moo 9) and Nong Bon (Moo 10) villages are using water supply from Samet Village (Moo 7), which is about 700 metres away. However, Samet Village’s water source has dried up, prompting residents to pump water from elsewhere to their purification centre.

Sommai further mentioned that when the water committee of Samet Village (Moo 7) attempted to collect money from Khok Phet and Nong Bon residents for sharing the costs, they refused, claiming they had already paid their water bills. This led to the disruption of their water supply.

Upon learning about the situation, the sub-district administration office provided water from Khok Klang Village (Moo 8), which is about 2.5 km away. Unfortunately, this led to water filtration problems, causing the mentioned side effects on villagers.

As an initial solution, Sommai plans to allocate approximately 800,000 baht (US$24,165) from the office’s budget to improve the water filtration system and other equipment. The issue will be discussed in a council meeting, and the necessary budget will be allocated as an urgent measure.