The Metropolitan Waterworks Authority has categorically denied reports that Bangkok’s tap water supply would last only 30 more days if there was no rain.
MWA governor Thanasak Watanathana said possible tap water disruption in a month was based on the assumption there would be no rainfall. In fact, it had started raining, although the rainfall was not great.
He said people need not to worry about tap water supply in the capital. The MWA would not stop supplying tap water. The state-owned agency could manage tap water distribution.
The MWA governor was responding to Tuesday's Thomson Reuters Foundation report that Bangkok's tap water supply may run out in a month unless the long overdue rains arrive to replenish sources depleted by drought and threatened by sea water creep.
The story quoted Mr Thanasak, in an interview, stating that water levels were critically low in the three key reservoirs that flow into the Chao Phraya River, one of the two main sources of Bangkok's tap water. Only 5 billion cubic metres had been collected last year, compared to the normal 8 billion cu/m, he was quoted as saying.
The Bhumibol dam now has 4.006 billion cu/m of water left, or 30% of the total capacity, dam director Nutthavut Chaemchang said.
The dam is currently discharging 8 million cu/m per day into the river, compared with 22 million cu/m released per day in May to supply paddy fields in the rice-belt provinces of the Central region.
Sirikit dam in Uttaradit province and Pasak Chonlasit dam in Lop Buri could discharge some water to replenish the Bhumibol dam, he said.
Sirikit dam has 383.90 million cu/m left for consumption, or 5.76% of the amount normally available for release.
Meanwhile, the water level at Pasak Chonlasit dam stands at just 47 million cu/m, while 66 million cu/m remain at Kwae Noi Bamrung Dan dam in Phitsanulok province.
All four dams, which supply the central provinces, have a total of only 702 million cu/m of water left which will not be sufficient for the provinces, Mr Nutthavut said. All state agencies are doing their best to manage the water supply until August, when normal rain is expected, he added.
