Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office has launched a campaign encouraging residents to install rain gutters and store rainwater at home in an effort to ease the impact of drought in the province.
The initiative was introduced by Mr Thanawat Ruangdet, Head of the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, following a public forum titled “Water is Life: Prachuap Must Move Forward”, held on 30 April at the Prachuap Grand Hotel in Mueang District. The forum brought together stakeholders from various sectors to discuss long-term water management solutions for both flooding and drought.
In response, the province has set up a committee comprising officials from relevant agencies and water management experts to develop a comprehensive strategy. One of the initial priorities is to improve structural water flow by removing obstructions that prevent water from reaching reservoirs, including Khlong Bueng, thereby increasing water storage capacity.
Plans are also in place to develop small-scale water sources. These include dredging canals along the railway line to a size of approximately 2 metres wide and 2 metres deep over a distance of 2 kilometres. These canals would collect runoff from the western side of the railway and help supplement public water supplies. Landscaping improvements are also planned along the railway corridor, with the pilot phase to be carried out in Huai Sai Subdistrict, Mueang District.
A key focus of the campaign is to promote household-level water conservation. Mr Thanawat said households should be encouraged to install rain gutters to collect water, which can then be stored in jars or water tanks for later use. He added that gutters can be made from inexpensive or natural materials such as bamboo, making them accessible to a wide range of residents.
The water collected can be used for household tasks such as watering plants or cleaning, reducing the demand on public water sources, particularly during the dry season. The more storage containers a household has, the more water it can conserve.
Developers of new housing estates will also be urged to incorporate rainwater collection systems into home designs.
Authorities hope to establish a model village where every home is equipped with rain gutters to help raise awareness and demonstrate the benefits of water conservation at the household level.