Phuket–
Phuket Governor Nirut Phongsitsithawon chaired a high-level meeting today to monitor the province’s water situation and outline strategies for managing supplies during the upcoming dry season.
The session, held at the Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) office in Kathu District, brought together senior officials from the provincial administration, meteorological services, irrigation, disaster prevention, and private sector representatives.
Officials acknowledged Phuket’s natural limitations in water storage. As an island with steep terrain, rainfall quickly drains into the sea, leaving limited reserves. This creates seasonal extremes: flash floods during the rainy season and shortages during the dry months. Rapid growth in tourism and construction has further increased demand for water.
Despite these challenges, the province currently holds about 12 million cubic meters of water across its three reservoirs—roughly 52% of capacity. This volume is expected to sustain consumption for around 100 days, or until late June, even without additional rainfall. The Meteorological Center for the West Coast of Southern Thailand forecasts rain beginning around April 20, and no later than May 1, which should replenish supplies and ease concerns.
The Phuket PWA is producing approximately 126,720 cubic meters of water per day from eight treatment plants. To reinforce stability, the system is supplemented with 100,000 cubic meters per day from irrigation sources, alongside purchases from private suppliers. Community-level initiatives are also underway to secure backup water sources.
The Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office has mapped more than 2,647 groundwater and shallow wells as emergency reserves in case of severe shortages. Meanwhile, long-term projects are progressing, including the Phang Nga–Phuket waterworks expansion and feasibility studies on diverting water from the Ratchaprapa Dam in Surat Thani.
Governor Nirut directed all agencies to build a comprehensive water database to support real-time monitoring and coordinated management. Local governments were tasked with surveying production capacity and private-sector resources to strengthen resilience. Collaboration with businesses is also being pursued to ensure sustainable solutions.
