Pattaya plans to request 885 million baht from the government to improve the city’s water-treatment system.
At a Nov. 6 public hearing, Sanitation Department Director Wirat Jirasriphaithun laid out the city’s budget request and the need for it. He also listed to opinions and suggestions from residents about current problems and those that would be caused by construction of another water-treatment plant and new underground pipes.
Wirat said only 75 percent of the city is able to funnel water to existing treatment facilities. Combined with aging pumps, the shortfall has resulted in polluted water continuing to be drained directly into the sea, contaminating beaches and endangering marine life with its higher levels of phosphorus and nitrogen.
Sanitation Department Director Wirat Jirasriphaithun.
“These issues must be dealt with immediately,” Wirat said. Therefore the city has drafted plans to build an additional treatment plant that will enable the city to process up to 130,000 cu. meters of water per day. The city currently produces about 75,000 cu. meter of waste water daily. In addition, he said, new pipelines will be laid to cover areas of Naklua and East Pattaya currently outside the system.
The 885 million baht budget request will be submitted for the Cabinet’s fiscal 2014 budget.
