Kathu, February 8th, 2025 – Jantira Duangsai, Director of Environmental and Pollution Control Office 15, reported on the response to an apparent wastewater discharge into the sea at Kamala Beach, Kathu District.
Following reports on social media, officials inspected the site and found that wastewater from a public canal had reached the sea. The canal contained milky white water upstream, turning black about 250 meters before the outflow, emitting a foul odor.
The community wastewater treatment system, managed by the Wastewater Management Authority, currently operates at only 30% capacity due to elevation differences in the pumping station.
In response, Kamala Subdistrict Municipality has intensified bio-treatment measures and temporarily installed additional pumps to increase wastewater intake by 60 cubic meters per day. Businesses, including laundromats and hotels, are under scrutiny, with a report due to the governor’s advisor by February 14th.
For long-term solutions, authorities plan to add two more pumping stations and enhance wastewater collection efficiency to prevent future discharges into the sea.
