New water management plan nears completion

New water management plan nears completion

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment expects to finalise the country's new national water management plan by October after the 350-billion-baht scheme initiated by the Yingluck Shinawatra government was scrapped by the junta.

Deputy permanent secretary Suphot Tovichakchaikul said apart from water supply in all regions, the new master plan would also address the issues of drought and waste water management.

Five subcommittees are now working on details of the plan involving water resources in different areas, including the crucial upper Central region, as well as a water data system, water management structure and public relations, he told a seminar on water management hosted by the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) yesterday.

The teams have about 45 days to hammer out the details including the budget required, funding sources, management system and private sector involvement in the water management plan, said Mr Suphot.

A decade ago, the ministry studied and proposed a water management plan, costing 4 trillion baht for water management, a water logistics system and wastewater management. Following the massive floods of 2011, the plan was finally enacted, but the Pheu Thai government excluded wastewater management and logistics, trimming the budget to 350 billion baht.

"This is the first time wastewater management will be enacted and included in a national plan," he said.

Recently floods and droughts have become more severe, affecting areas that previously were not under threat, said Mr Suphot.

Projects worth 20 billion baht that already had their Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies approved are slated to be implemented next year, including reservoirs in Lamphun and Phetchabun.

"This is the right time for the junta to kick-start water management systems for the country because they have absolute power," said Mr Suphot.

Companies support the new master plan because there are no other sustainable solutions for water management, and most of the water resources consist of rain water without adequate reservoirs and a proper logistics system.

FTI chairman Supan Mongkolsuthee said the industrial sector consumes about 4% of the total water supply while the sector generates 40% of Thailand's GDP.

Although the Eastern Seaboard has not faced a water shortage since a drought hit the region in 2005, there is still nothing preventing the problem from happening again, which affects business confidence, said Mr Supan.

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