Chiang Mai – Minister of Agriculture, Cooperatives to monitor water quality problems in Mae Kha Canal

On December 9, 2021, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (TSD) together with Chiang Mai Province held a meeting to discuss solving the problem of water quality in the Mae Kha Canal “Rat-Ratta Ruam Jai to return clear water to the Mae Kha canal” to determine the solution.

The problem of wastewater in the Mae Kha canal in a concrete way to be sustainable and able to solve the troubles for people in the area.

Mr. Warawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment (Ministry of Education) as chairman, together with Mr. Atthaphon Charoenchansa, Director-General of the Pollution Control Department, and his team attended a meeting to follow up on water quality problems in the Mae Kha Canal with relevant agencies in Chiang Mai with Mr. Rattaphol Naradisorn, Deputy Governor of Chiang Mai Province which was assigned by Mr. Prajan Pratsakul, Governor of Chiang Mai Province as a representative together with Mr. Pichai Lertpong Adisorn The president of Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization welcomed at the meeting room of the Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization Council.

Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization

from the problem of sewage water in the Mae Kha Canal for a long time was seriously discussed to solve the problem of water quality in the Mae Kha Canal Later. Chiang Mai Province has formulated the Mae Kha Canal Master Plan (2018-2022).

Under the vision “Beautiful canals, clear water, good flow, happy communities” for each agency to use as a solution to the whole system, the Pollution Control Department (PCD) has monitored the water quality of the Mae Kha Canal since 2015.

It was found that the water quality in the upstream water was in the average range, but the quality will deteriorate when flowing through various urban communities with dissolved oxygen values less than 2 milligrams per liter which from past operations The water quality of the Mae Kha canal had slightly improved water quality, but most of the water quality is still at a deteriorated level because the wastewater collection and treatment system does not cover the area and some projects are still in operation.

All parties have worked together to seriously solve the problem and go in the same direction according to the guidelines of “Fill Water – Treatment – Intercept – Joint Care”. Treat wastewater by trapping wastewater from draining into the canal and sending it to the wastewater treatment system or consider wastewater treatment in canals to prevent the source of pollution from draining the sewage that does not meet the standards and build a community network pollution source and local government organizations to jointly take care of water quality operations in the Mae Kha Canal.

Rehabilitation and development consist of 4 issues:

1) return/increase costs to the Mae Kha Canal, by using cost water from Mae Ngad Dam (In which there will be a tunnel of Mae Ngad-Mae Taeng School to the Mae Kha Canal (According to the goal of completion in 2024) in the improvement of the canal soi, where the water comes down to the Mae Kha Canal (with plans to implement the goals).

2) wastewater treatment to improve the wastewater treatment system of Chiang Mai Municipality that are still pending as planned (which is already designed) including expediting the preparation of the details of the collection system and wastewater treatment system Of the local government organizations along the Mae Kha canal, in all 9 places.

3) enforcement of laws to check sources of pollution covering all 8 local government agencies to be completed by preparing an action plan or road map (which is estimated to have more than 1,200 locations).

4) engaging all sectors in solving problems to create learning and the treatment of household wastewater of communities along the canals Build a network to monitor water quality and support the establishment of problem-solving by organizing a wastewater treatment system has the goal of reviving and developing the Mae Kha Canal to be full of water throughout the canal And the water is of good quality in the year 2570 to have a beautiful landscape and some areas are tourist attractions CDC has conducted an investigation and enforced a law to control sewerage from 231 sources of pollution.

Complying with 181 standards, it will also investigate and enforce the sewerage control laws from 1,111 additional sources of pollution, as well as support the participation of communities and sources of pollution by providing knowledge training to raise awareness about pollution sources and 107 communities along the canal for wastewater treatment, creating a network to monitor water quality and to support the body of academic knowledge for studying the suitability of community wastewater management as a whole to achieve the goal of having a good ecosystem restore the way of life along the Mae Kha Canal that return clear water to the Mae Kha Canal sustainable forever.

Source: Siam Focus Times