The construction of a medium-sized reservoir in Chachoengsao province will be proposed as part of a water-management plan to ensure sufficient irrigation for farms and for industries in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), said Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon.
He added that the plan for Huay Krok Khian reservoir, with a storage capacity of 19.20 cubic metres, will be submitted to the National Water Resource Committee (NWRC) for consideration.
Once built, the reservoir in Tha Takiab district's Ban Ang Toey should be able to feed 3 million cubic metres of water into the farming, tourism and industry sectors. The project is scheduled for implementation between 2021 and 2023, he said.
Gen Prawit said the reservoir should also help maintain the ecosystem and stop seawater from intruding into the Bang Pakong River.
Huay Krok Khian is part of the reservoir development network known as the lower Klong Rabom project, which has a combined storage capacity of 61.7 million cubic metres of water.
Gen Prawit was speaking after chairing a meeting of a panel for steering mega-projects, which on Thursday focused on both short- and long-term water-management plans for the EEC which covers Rayong, Chon Buri and Chachoengsao provinces.
The EEC is home to 6,033 factories and the EEC Policy Committee recently approved three short-term projects: diverting water from Khlong Sapan to Prasae reservoir in Rayong, from Klong Luang in Chachoengsao to Bangphra reservoir in Chon Buri, and from Wang Tanode in Chanthaburi to Prasae reservoir.
According to Gen Prawit, water consumption in Chachoengsao in 2017 stood at 1,465 million cubic metres and is expected to rise by 12% in 2037, adding that the current water supply stands at about 1,510 million cubic metres.
The sub-committee on Thursday also approved two Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) projects, which will serve an additional 114,000 users.
The first is the Phetchabun-Lom Sak project which covers 314km and can serve an extra 18,800 users.
The other is the Samut Sakhon-Nakhon Pathom project which covers 475.2km and can accommodate another 95,500 users.
Somkiat Prajumwong, NWRC secretary-general, said on Thursday the two PWA projects are in line with the country's 20-year water-management plan and will improve tap-water production.
He said the PWA was asked to draw up a contingency plan for the two projects, which NWRC will submit to the cabinet for approval.