Salty drinking water: Salinity rises sharply yesterday (UPDATED)

Bangkok has had considerable rain this year, but the areas that supply it with water have not. The Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA) says the city water supply is getting saltier as a result and there was a sharp rise yesterday, forcing a temporary stop to production.

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Pathum Thani governor Pongsathorn Satjachonphan (L) inspects the Sam Lae raw water intake station next to the Chao Phraya River where the salinity level reached 0.18 miligrammes per liter last Sunday. Yesterday it rose sharply to above 0.4 mg/l forcing a temporary halt to production. PONGPAT WONGYALA

Friday noon update

Thai PBS reports that salt levels at the Sam Lae raw water intake station next to the Chao Phraya River rose sharply yesterday to above 0.4 milligrammes per litre, just below the level where it would be noticeable to consumers. The water was deemed brackish enough to temporarily halt the intake of raw water. Officials expect the situation to improve this afternoon, they say.

Part of the reason likely stems from an increased discharge from the Chao Phraya dam upstream. Post Today reports that officials there have increased the discharge despite the fact there is only about a 30-day supply above the dam. They again called for farmers to refrain from planting rice crops at this time.

Bangkok's tap water becoming salty

Online reporters

Tap water produced by the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA) is slowly getting saltier as the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) decreases the discharge of water from its dams into the Chao Phraya River, but it should not be noticeable yet.

Media reports quoted MWA governor Thanasak Watanathana as saying the rate of discharge was being limited because of a water shortage and delayed rains. The situation affects not only water for agriculture, but also the MWA's production of tap water for about 10 million people.

The reduced discharge from the dams allows seawater to advance inland. The salinity level had already risen at the MWA's Sam Lae raw water intake station next to the Chao Phraya River in Muang district of Pathum Thani, north of Bangkok, he said.

The salinity level of the MWA's tap water stood at 0.2-0.3 milligrammes per litre. Consumers would start to sense the saltiness when the level rose to 0.5 mg/l.

Unless the amount of rainwater discharging into the the Chao Phraya River returns to normal in the next month, the tap water would become brackish, Mr Thanasak said. If this becomes likely, the MWA would advise each household to store at least 60 litres of tap water for consumption beforehand.

Since May 12, the MWA has reduced its production by 10% and distributed less tap water at night.

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