Pattaya officials and the Chonburi Irrigation Department brainstormed ways the city’s chronic flooding could help mitigate the ongoing drought.
Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome met June 4 with irrigation chief Tinakorn Sutin to discuss reuse of storm runoff, pumping water back to local reservoirs, and desalinizing seawater.
Sonthaya explained that new and improved drainage and pump systems are being laid around Pattaya to funnel water to the Kratinglai, Naklua and Huay Yai canals which will carry water to the ocean.
He inquired whether it would be possible to divert that water, instead, to the Irrigation Department’s network to be treated and recycled for Pattaya’s use. He estimated there could be as much as 100,000 cu. meters of water on rainy days.
No decisions were made with more meetings planned involving the Provincial Waterworks Authority, Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning and organizations. (PCPR)
