BANGKOK, 5 August 2015 – The Department of Groundwater Resources (DGR) has completed 99% of its groundwater wells, providing more than 350,000 cubic meters of water per day to drought-hit areas.
DGR Deputy Director-General Aranya Fuangswasdi has revealed that the department has successfully drilled 506 out of 511 planned groundwater wells, or 99.02%. The DGR is now in the process of drilling 10 more.
A total of 221 new wells have been outfitted with water pumps capable of drawing 217,913 cubic meters of groundwater daily. Meanwhile, 225 old wells that fell into disrepair have received maintenance and the installation of water pumps, providing 33,750 cubic meters of groundwater per day.
This brings the number of renovated wells to 731 out of 891 in total, which supply a combined 251,663 cubic meters of water per day.
This operation is aimed at helping farmers in drought-hit areas across 15 provinces in the lower North and Chao Phraya River Basin. An estimated 4,000 households tending to 150,000 rai of farmland would receive 350,000 cubic meters of water daily.
