Island “has water for a year’

PHUKET: Huge amounts of rain in October and a freshly-filled Bangwad reservoir mean that Phuket should have no water shortage problems for at least a year, says Sayan Wareearoonroj, Manager of Phuket Provincial Water Supply. A total of 735.6 millimeters of rain fell as recorded at Phuket International Airport – up from 286.7 mm last October and the heaviest monthly figure for any month in at least five years. Phuket was perilously close to needing island-wide water restrictions before the installation of a pipe and a pump so that water for the island’s only reservoir can now be drawn from Klong Bang Yai. As a result of the rain, however, the reservoir is now full. It contains 8 million cubic meters – enough for all Phuket’s forseeable needs. “I believe that for the whole of next year, Phuket will have no problem with water supply,” K. Sayan said.