BANGKOK – The Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) is now in the process of mitigating the drought in the northeastern region, with projects in place to improve water reservoir efficiency, and ensure the availability of clean water for all people.
The ONWR’s Secretary General Somkiat Prajamwong has inspected the ground water distribution center of Khok Sung Samphan Subdistrict Municipality in Khon Kaen province, following up on water shortage prevention and mitigation provisions, and expediting projects under the agencies responsible for promoting water security and sustainability.
This dry season, the ONWR plans to ensure that people in all locations have a supply of clean water available, with plans to build groundwater distribution centers along main roads across the country.
With fewer water sources available in the upper part of the northeastern region, water management plans, and precipitation from recent storms, have resulted in a total of 3.145 billion cubic meters of water flowing into dams, which has led to a greater reserve of water available for the 2020-2021 dry season.
No provinces in the northeastern region have been declared drought disaster areas so far this year, however 430 sub-districts in 11 provinces are being monitored as potential drought disaster areas.
A monitoring zone for shortage of consumption water has been drawn, including in area not served by the provincial waterworks authority, as well as a monitoring zone for water shortages for farming within and outside irrigation areas.
The ONWR has ordered all related agencies to make action plans to prevent water shortages, and to follow up, evaluate, and raise awareness of water saving measures. (NNT)
