BANGKOK, Jan 8 (TNA) – The Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA) and the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) will conduct the second “water hammer” operation to push out salty sea water from inland rivers during the peak high tide next week.
Drought has caused low water level in the Chao Phraya River and it cannot keepout sea water during the high tide. The high salinity level in raw water has affected tap water production.
Raksak Suriyahan, the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority deputy governor said in his capacity as the chairman the operation center, responsible for solve the water crisis that the two agencies conducted the test on the water hammer operation to increase the water flow in the Chao Phraya River in an attempt to drive out seawater.
During the operation, the MWA halted pumping raw water from the river when the RID increased the water discharge from the Phraram6 Dam from 5 to 15 cubic metres per second and opened Khlong Lat Pho sluice gate during the low tide.
The operation successfully pushed the sea water from the area near the Samlae tap water production facility in Pathum Thani, the MWA deputy governor said.
The RID and the MWA will start the water hammer operation again from the night of January 9 until January 13 before the peak high tide on Jan 13-14, forecast by the Royal Thai Navy’s Hydrographic Department.
The high tide will peak again on Jan 26-27, according to the department.
The related agencies will monitor the salinity level in the river and will find the most effective way for water management, he said. (TNA)
