Editor:
In regards to your paper printing my story last week I would like to respond that the reasons given by the PWA and Nongprue Sub-district are untrue!
Approximately two months ago I sent, and your paper printed, an article written by me regarding this issue at Fai Mi Add Kan Village and the constant water being turned off since I moved to the village in 2006. The article also pertained to water being turned off for nearly a week and the residents were so outraged that the fire department came to distribute water to the residents. This was and is the only weekend that they have ever come out to distribute water!
Since that article 2 months ago, there have been broken pipes throughout the neighborhood, the majority of which has happen in front of Soi 3, which the photo shows with all the standing water. It was mentioned by the PWA and Nongprue Sub-district that it was due to “Construction” in the area. There is currently only one small project under construction, which is in front of the road. This small project in no way contributed to the problem nor did they create it! The poorly plan road improvement and drainage nearby had no contribution either!
Over six times they came out and replaced the broken pipe. The problem is that the construction workers have no training or understanding of physics to understand one can’t replace a section of the pipe with clamps and sleeves on each end and not brace the new pipe so that when the dirt is placed back on top of the new pipe the weight doesn’t bend the pipe and cause sections of the old to break. I saw the workers do this first hand and pointed it out to them but they looked at me like “who is this farang?” But as soon as they turn on the water guess what happens. Over and over again broken pipes leak for a day or so until they could find the time to come back. Meantime the volume of water starts to damage the surrounding area.
The ditches to drain the water in the area are too small and not sloped enough to drain the water away so it sits. If one looks at the Permsub home project one could see at the entrance that the surface road slopes down to the main road. When it rains the volume is too great and along with the slope of the surface road the water overflows out of their drains into the road and ditch and floods the surrounding area and road. Currently the neighbors across from Permsub have dug a ditch so the excess water diverts into the empty land that is currently being developed instead of into their home. Currently, if one was to look, there is standing water in these ditches year round.
The officials say the work is completed at the entrance and it looks like it, but someone please tell me why the water continues to be turned off and back on in the late afternoon the last two weeks? Fix the problem instead of making excuses!
Jeff Chumuchi
