Dry season brings water shortages

PHUKET: The taps go on in Patong and off in Karon at 4 pm each day now, under new restrictions caused by Phuket’s shortage of water, and on in Karon and off in Patong at 7 am. Hotels are having to save reserves of water or buy it – and the Phuket Provincial Waterworks (PPW) has warned that other parts of the island may face shortages, too. The PPW hopes the problem will be alleviated in mid-March when works allowing them to tap other sources will be completed. A 600-million-baht contract has been signed to buy water from MBK Properties and Development Co, owner of the supply source, a tin mine at Loch Palm Golf Course in Kathu. But Praphop Thongwon, Manager of PPW, told the Gazette that Phuket Irrigation was still working on the infrastructure. He apologized for the inconvenience and suggested that people in Karon and Patong store water if possible. “Now we have water to last until the end of April but if there is no rain, by May Phuket will not have enough,” K. Praphop added. Phuket’s Bang Wad reservoir has a capacity of 8.5 million cubic meters, yet in an average year receives less than half this amount. The national government has agreed to fund a second reservoir but its completion is expected to take at least two years.