Bangkok metropolitan immediate water improvement program

Abstract

Bangkok's water supply system in the 1960's suffered from chronic shortages and service failures owing to rapid urban growth, limited resources, deficient technology, and faulty administration. Remedial action by the Government established the Bangkok Metropolitan Water Works Authority (MWWA) and brought in a consultant engineering firm to conduct surveys and draw up plans both for immediate water improvement and for long-term modification of management and physical infrastructure toward ensuring a more satisfactory MWWA operation. This case study describes planning and implementation of the immediate improvement program from 1969 to 1972. This was an interim undertaking during a crisis situation to gain time for planning a more permanent program for the entire metropolitan area. It consisted of four independent projects to increase water resources, to repair the pipeline system for greater water conservation, and to overhaul the metering system for better monitoring of water consumption and collection of consumer service charges. Outside consultant and construction firms were called in to offset MWWA's lack of expertise and resources. The changes introduced by the program were more technological than behavioral or attitudinal, although MWWA was reorganized in critical areas of its regular operation. The program was well supported morally and financially by the National Government. The public water system did improve as a result, but it took longer to accomplish than was expected. Planning consultants counted too much on the organizational capacity of MWWA, and certain physical problems cropped up during field operations that were not anticipated in preliminary surveys. The whole experience demonstrated that flexibility is the key to resolving the differences which inevitably arise between planning and implementation.