Pattaya begins water rationing

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Jun

Re: Pattaya begins water rationing

Post by Jun »

I note they're ready to START a beach widening project in Jomtien, whilst the water supply issue is only under discussion.
The priorities seem rather strange.

Admittedly, it might be a good idea to widen the beach when there are no tourists around, but also enlarging the existing reservoirs is no doubt something best done when they are near empty.

As for water consumption, I'm one of these nerdy types who likes to measure everything, so I'd find a way.
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Re: Pattaya begins water rationing

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Water shortage hits Pattaya

by Chaiyot Phupattanapong

9 Jul 2020

PATTAYA: The water authority has warned Pattaya residents to be frugal in their use of tap water, because the water in the city reservoirs has fallen to the minimum retention level.

The warning was posted on the Pattaya Provincial Waterworks Authority Facebook page on Thursday.

The PWA asked people to make wise use of the supply of water.

Pattaya relies on raw water from five reservoirs feeding a treatment plant for the city. The combined amount of water available is 8 million cubic metres, or only 20% of capacity.

PWA Pattaya office chief Chaithas Eedsaeng said the supply is at the minimum capacity for retention needed to avoid damage to the reservoirs.

The agency had decided to reduce the total amount of tap water distributed to customers every day, to 150,000 million cubic metres from 200,000, to slow the reduction of the water level in the reservoirs.

It was also supplying water to households only on alternate days, but customers complained on social media that they were not getting it when they should be.

The PWA office said the Royal Irrigation Department had channelled water from Bang Phra and Nong Pla Lai reservoirs to help Pattaya, and the city also bought raw water from the East Water Group to prevent shortages.

Mr Chaithas said he expected the situation to improve in the second half of this month, when rain is forecast for the eastern region.

The latest three-month forecast of the Meteorological Department is for rainfall in the region to be slightly below average this month.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ts-pattaya
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Pattaya Water Authority warns that despite rains, water supply remains low

By Adam Judd

Thursday, 9 July 2020

The Pattaya Water Authority, in a post on their facebook page, warned this week that although Pattaya had recently suffered flooding and isolated heavy rains that reservoirs in the city remained low on water.

PWA Pattaya office chief Chaithas Eedsaeng stated in an interview with associated local press that the city water supply, although improved from prior months, was now only at 20% of capacity. This is based on all five reservoirs for the city that feed into the main treatment plant.

This has led to the Pattaya Water Authority deciding to reduce the total volume of tap water available to city residents daily, to 150,000 million cubic metres from 200,000 million cubic metres. This may lead to some portions of the Pattaya area seeing reduced or even no water flow for periods of time, according to Chaithas.

He also stated that the situation was likely to improve in the back-end of this month as more rainfall was predicted for the Pattaya area.

The Pattaya News notes that rainfall is only one factor of lack of water, as we have previously discussed, with climate change, water management issues, construction related work and other factors also reportedly leading to the current situation.

https://thepattayanews.com/2020/07/09/p ... mains-low/
Jun

Re: Pattaya begins water rationing

Post by Jun »

Water rationing, during a year in which I imagine Pattaya has had abnormally low water demand, due to an absence of tourists.

How is the rainfall comparing with average levels ?

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Re: Pattaya begins water rationing

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Jun wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 2:08 am How is the rainfall comparing with average levels ?
The city says it is less than normal, but even if that is correct I think it is a lame excuse for being so unprepared. The city has had years to make sure nothing like this happens again, but this is where we are.

You bring up a good point. If tourist numbers were normal, the problem would be much worse.

Meanwhile, even on the days when we are supposed to be receiving water we often don't get any. In the past two weeks I have again had to buy water twice. While now there is no tour bus problem, there are plenty of water trucks all over the place selling water to people. The city offers nothing. A home water tank refill is 250 baht. Some water trucks have been charging 300 baht. As far as I know, the prices are not even regulated.

So, despite promises this type of drought-caused water shortage will never happen again, it happened again. Meanwhile, you have probably seen articles, some of which I posted on this board, about the recent torrential rains causing flood problems in Pattaya. We were promised that too would never happen again. And all that rainwater is wasted. Only a tiny fraction of it ends up in the reservoir. The rest just drains away and is wasted. If the water just from the torrential rain Pattaya experienced just a couple days ago had been properly contained, that alone would have been far more than enough water to end the problem. A very nice 'if' . . .
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Re: Pattaya begins water rationing

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This affects primarily "The Dark Side", where I live. Oh well, looks like the water trucks will be enjoying a booming business this week . . .
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Temporary water supply interruptions expected for Pattaya and Nongprue

By Pattaya Mail

July 20, 2020

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The Provincial Waterworks Authority announced interruptions in water supply for the next few days in designated areas of Pattaya and Nongprue.

PEA plans to move water lines 800mm to avoid construction on Highway 7 in the area of Nong Klang Dong water production station in Sriracha’s Bueang Subdistrict.

Customers will see interruptions starting from midnight Wednesday 22 July 2020 until 08.00 a.m. Friday 24 July 2020. Officials ask people to save water for 3-4 days to reduce their inconvenience.

PE water pipe line affected areas are as below:

1. Soi Chaiyapoon Withi, odd number from Soi 19 to Soi 41
2. Soi Chaiyapoon Withi, even number from Soi 16 to Soi 28
3. Nong Prue Market
4. Soi Crocodile Farm
5. Soi Nong Mai Kaen
6. Soi Nernplabwan
7. Phom Praphanimit Road
8. Pong District
9. Soi Bun Samphan (Soi Khao Noi)
10. Soi Khao Talo
11. Phatthanakan Road
12. Soi Wat Khao Thong
13. Soi Thung Klom-Tan Man
14. Thammasat University, Pattaya Center
15. Takian Tia District

Further note: Please save water for 3-4 days, beware of turbid water, and water will not flow immediately. Pattaya Provincial Waterworks Authority contact channels 038-222461-5 ext. 104,132, Line: @pwapattaya, FB: @pwapattaya
Jun

Re: Pattaya begins water rationing

Post by Jun »

If the sole purpose is just to move the line, wouldn't it be normal just to:
1 Put in the new line
2 Interrupt supply for a couple of hours whilst swapping over the plumbing.
3 Remove the old line

Rather than screw the customers with a 32 hour interruption, which they don't seem to have much confidence in achieving.
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Re: Pattaya begins water rationing

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Jun wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 2:18 pm Rather than screw the customers with a 32 hour interruption
As far as I'm concerned we get screwed anyway. There is no good excuse as to why we should have had to go on water rationing in the first place. And all too often, on the days we're supposed to get water we don't always get it. I can only imagine what kind of water shape Pattaya would be in if tourist numbers were normal.

According to the published information about the interruption, we should be receiving city water again Friday morning. Right. Please excuse me for a few minutes while I finish having my little laugh.

On top of that, the weather gurus are saying this year's monsoon is weaker than usual, meaning this year we're going to have significantly less rain than normal - and that means there is a good chance the reservoirs won't get filled. It's anybody's guess how long we're going to be on water rationing around here.

If anyone is looking to start up a business in Pattaya, buying one of those water trucks would be a promising choice. I don't know where those trucks are getting their water from, but I can't help wondering why the city water can't get water from the same source. It seems ridiculous and unfair that we often have to buy water from those trucks - sometimes at 3 to 5 times the monthly price we normally pay for city water. During this rationing period, so far I'm up to 5 times of having had to buy my water from the trucks to refill my storage tank - and I live alone, so I use much less water than entire families use.

Incompetence and negligence reigns. Reminds me of Trump . . .
Jun

Re: Pattaya begins water rationing

Post by Jun »

Gaybutton wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 4:07 pm It seems ridiculous and unfair that we often have to buy water from those trucks - sometimes at 3 to 5 times the monthly price we normally pay for city water. During this rationing period, so far I'm up to 5 times of having had to buy my water from the trucks to refill my storage tank - and I live alone, so I use much less water than entire families use.
A nice little earner. Take the same water, truck it in, charge more.

They could even decide to send some backhanders to people who control the city supply, so they never fix it. (I said COULD, as this is hypothetical of course).

Am thinking if I ever move to Pattaya, I'll need about 2 cubic meters of storage tanks so I can fill up off the city supply when the going is good. Presumably easy to do in a detached property, but more problematic in an apartment.
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