Pattaya-area officials are literally praying for rain but making earthly plans in case it doesn’t.
Banglamung Deputy District Chief Paradee Pluksopa recently led a religious ceremony with Nongprue residents and subdistrict workers at the Mabprachan Reservoir, where the water level is at a 20-year low.
The officials, even joined by Provincial Waterworks Authority Pattaya Manager Sutat Nutchpan, prayed for rain.
Fortunately, Nongprue Mayor Mai Chaiyanit said Feb. 27, that the government is doing more than appealing to a higher power to deal with the current water shortage.
While Sutat has said repeatedly that the Pattaya area has enough water to last through June even if it doesn’t rain, Mai isn’t taking the praying PWA boss at his word, and is reaching out to private landowners to use their water economically.
The subdistrict is home to two large, privately owned lakes with more than 300,000 cu. meters of water each. In case of a water crisis, the subdistrict has made deals to truck their raw water to residents. The agreement even calls for the landowner to contribute to the trucking operation.
Nongprue’s Public Health and Environment Department has already tested the water in both lakes and found it meets raw water quality standards. The water has been sold previously by private water brokers and no complaints have been received about its safety, Mai said.
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