Has the PWA given up?

[Guderian]

I live in the Thepprasit area and we're supposed to have water on odd days, like today. On Wednesday the mains delivered 50 litres, yesterday zilch as expected, and so far today all of 2 litres has come through. I don't see any notices on their FB page about extraordinary circumstances like a burst water main, so have they just given up?

[blackcab]

2 litres or 2 units?

[Kerryd]

I thought today was an "even" day ? (You know, being the 26th and all but hey - got to account for "Thai Time" too  so maybe it is an "odd" day !)

I've given up on them (PWA). 
It seems we often go 3+ days without a dribble followed by a partial day with a trickle. I was keeping track of it on a calendar but gave up on that 12 days ago.
PITA to climb up to the top of the tank each day to see how full it is (or isn't) so I'm just going to go easy on my usage until things improve or I run out of water.

Yesterday we had a trickle. I could hear the tank filling (slowly) so I opened the tap to the washing machine. After about 2 minutes the water was just starting to rise (from the closed drain valve) to the bottom of the washer. At that rate I figured it'd be maybe 2 hours to fill the machine.
Gave up and turned on the pump, hoping the "trickle" would eventually refill the tank.
Today - no water (in the mains). No idea what the level in the tank is (would love to install a sight gauge one day though). I wonder who makes/supplies/sells them.

Raining now - should go throw some clothes on the street and wash the motorcycles. That why I can do 3 things concurrently (wash bikes and clothes and have a shower).

Though it's not really raining hard enough for a good shower (yet). 

[Guderian]

1 hour ago, blackcab said:

2 litres or 2 units?

Literally two litres according to the water meter.

[Phoenix Rising]

I live off the Thepprasit Rd and we haven't received a drop for a week. 

[Guderian]

1 hour ago, Kerryd said:

I thought today was an "even" day ? (You know, being the 26th and all but hey - got to account for "Thai Time" too  so maybe it is an "odd" day !)

I've given up on them (PWA). 
It seems we often go 3+ days without a dribble followed by a partial day with a trickle. I was keeping track of it on a calendar but gave up on that 12 days ago.
PITA to climb up to the top of the tank each day to see how full it is (or isn't) so I'm just going to go easy on my usage until things improve or I run out of water.

Yesterday we had a trickle. I could hear the tank filling (slowly) so I opened the tap to the washing machine. After about 2 minutes the water was just starting to rise (from the closed drain valve) to the bottom of the washer. At that rate I figured it'd be maybe 2 hours to fill the machine.
Gave up and turned on the pump, hoping the "trickle" would eventually refill the tank.
Today - no water (in the mains). No idea what the level in the tank is (would love to install a sight gauge one day though). I wonder who makes/supplies/sells them.

Raining now - should go throw some clothes on the street and wash the motorcycles. That why I can do 3 things concurrently (wash bikes and clothes and have a shower).

Though it's not really raining hard enough for a good shower (yet). 

I was looking at this thing from the PWA, not that it does me much good as it's all in Thai, lol:

 

 

I can see Thepprasit under 'wan ku', which the GF told me was not yesterday, so I guess it must be even days like today? Or is that the day without any water? It doesn't seem to matter as we had no water yesterday and have no water today either.

 

My water tank is in the ground, so even if there's no pressure it will still get a trickle of water supply due to gravity if there's any water in the mains, but there's none at all, or somebody has closed a valve shut and is not reopening it when they're supposed to. The days when there was sufficient water pressure to fill a water tank that's above ground are a distant memory in this village, which is odd as for the last eight years we've had an excellent water supply. It's also odd as after the heavyish rain we had the reservoirs are filling up very slowly, there's certainly more water in Mabprachan than there was a month ago. Maybe the PWA is reserving the water supply for the millions of Thai tourists who are going to reinvigorate the local economy, lol.

 

And thank Buddha for this morning's light rain, no need to water the flowers today or tomorrow.

[Guderian]

9 minutes ago, Phoenix Rising said:

I live off the Thepprasit Rd and we haven't received a drop for a week. 

 

Has anyone got their teelac to call the PWA on 038 222 461 and ask them when we'll get some sort of water supply back?

Edited June 26, 2020 by Guderian

[Guderian]

Their generosity astounds me, we now have 20 days to pay our water bills rather than the previous 10 days. The only minor snag is that you're having to pay for something that you're not getting, but hey, this is Thailand, why would you expect anything else, lol?

 

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, Guderian said:

Their generosity astounds me, we now have 20 days to pay our water bills rather than the previous 10 days. The only minor snag is that you're having to pay for something that you're not getting, but hey, this is Thailand, why would you expect anything else, lol?

 

If it is metered, and you are not getting any, why is the bill not zero?

[Phoenix Rising]

Service charge?

[Kerryd]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

If it is metered, and you are not getting any, why is the bill not zero?

My bill was a whopping 65 baht for the last cycle. Despite the frequent outages and low pressure, it seems I still used 2 cbm (cubic meters) of water over the month. (Normally I seem to use 3 - 3 1/2 cbm a month.)

The girls at 7-11 even laughed at how small my "bill" was. Made me want to run home and turn on the taps just to increase my next one so they'd be more impressed. (Or laugh less at least !)

[Guderian]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

If it is metered, and you are not getting any, why is the bill not zero?

The house and hence the utilities are in a company name. There's a standard rate for companies of around 350 Baht/month, which includes 15 m3 of water a month - but only if there's a water supply there, of course! You pay extra if you use more than the 15 m3, but you don't get a refund for using less.

[Guderian]

32 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

My bill was a whopping 65 baht for the last cycle. Despite the frequent outages and low pressure, it seems I still used 2 cbm (cubic meters) of water over the month. (Normally I seem to use 3 - 3 1/2 cbm a month.)

The girls at 7-11 even laughed at how small my "bill" was. Made me want to run home and turn on the taps just to increase my next one so they'd be more impressed. (Or laugh less at least !)

 

Having said earlier about the guy who's supposed to open the valve on our "water day" having fallen asleep on the job, he must have just woken up as I've got a trickle coming through again. There's no pressure behind it so it won't help my neighbours with above-ground water tanks, but if the valve stays open long enough I might get a few hundred litres which would be a help.

[jacko45k]

20 minutes ago, Guderian said:

The house and hence the utilities are in a company name. There's a standard rate for companies of around 350 Baht/month, which includes 15 m3 of water a month - but only if there's a water supply there, of course! You pay extra if you use more than the 15 m3, but you don't get a refund for using less.

My house is in a company name, and my water used to be. After talking with a neighbour, I sent the Mrs down to the PWA with a few past bills and she was able to convince them to change my Tariff to that of a domestic user. It is somewhat cheaper now.

[Guderian]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

My house is in a company name, and my water used to be. After talking with a neighbour, I sent the Mrs down to the PWA with a few past bills and she was able to convince them to change my Tariff to that of a domestic user. It is somewhat cheaper now.

I thought about doing that, but as I normally use more than the 15 m3 that's included in the 350 Baht monthly bill I didn't see any real advantage to it. Certainly, if you don't have a garden and only use a few m3/month then it would be worth making the change.

 

At least compared with the UK, mains water is a bargain here when it's available. Back home, 15 m3 would cost me well over 2,000 Baht, so I can't get worked up about paying the 350 Baht company rate, as long as the PWA actually delivers us some water.

[Leaver]

8 hours ago, Guderian said:

 

Has anyone got their teelac to call the PWA on 038 222 461 and ask them when we'll get some sort of water supply back?

Maybe better to get teelac to go to a temple and ask a monk, "When is it going to rain?"  Of course, to receive such information will cost money.  ????

[carlyai]

What you could have are some with a big pump on the mains at their house sucking what little water there is to their tank. I know now that this is a very bad idea, but years ago, when there was no water that's what I did. I used to live just off Teprasit on soi 10 or soi 17.

Back then I put in a 3000 l underground tank and between the mains and the tank I was OK.

I wouldn't advise sucking the water to your tank as you could be sucking water from a tadpoles pond or toilet, if someone has run a hose from the mains to fill their fish tank, no water but left the hose on, so you suck in all their dirty fish tank water. ????

 

[Guderian]

55 minutes ago, carlyai said:

What you could have are some with a big pump on the mains at their house sucking what little water there is to their tank. I know now that this is a very bad idea, but years ago, when there was no water that's what I did. I used to live just off Teprasit on soi 10 or soi 17.

Back then I put in a 3000 l underground tank and between the mains and the tank I was OK.

I wouldn't advise sucking the water to your tank as you could be sucking water from a tadpoles pond or toilet, if someone has run a hose from the mains to fill their fish tank, no water but left the hose on, so you suck in all their dirty fish tank water. ????

 

According to what Tommy Dee was saying on 103 FM recently, it's illegal to install a booster pump between the water mains and your tank. Given that every building with a water tank on it roof, like hotels, condos, and many shop houses, must use such a booster pump I wonder if he's right? Or can places that must have one get a licence from City Hall or the PWA to install one?

 

Anyway, the trickle that was there in the afternoon must have stayed there all night as my water tank's almost full again now. It won't have helped anybody with an above-ground tank, though.

[mran66]

19 hours ago, jacko45k said:

My house is in a company name, and my water used to be. After talking with a neighbour, I sent the Mrs down to the PWA with a few past bills and she was able to convince them to change my Tariff to that of a domestic user. It is somewhat cheaper now.

 

I've understood this would not be possible...any advise how to talk to get this change to happen? 

[jacko45k]

14 minutes ago, mran66 said:

 

I've understood this would not be possible...any advise how to talk to get this change to happen? 

My neighbour and myself achieved it, and it was not difficult, at Banglamung. Apparently a matter of persuading them our water consumption was not of an industrial level! My advice is to get a Thai to do the pleading... I have always felt they like to stick it to foreigners, but will readily accommodate their own! My tariff was switched from T39 to T11, and from a minimum 300 baht charge plus extras, to one based on consumption... total dropped 250 baht.

[mran66]

3 hours ago, jacko45k said:

My neighbour and myself achieved it, and it was not difficult, at Banglamung. Apparently a matter of persuading them our water consumption was not of an industrial level! My advice is to get a Thai to do the pleading... I have always felt they like to stick it to foreigners, but will readily accommodate their own! My tariff was switched from T39 to T11, and from a minimum 300 baht charge plus extras, to one based on consumption... total dropped 250 baht.

 

okay...do you recall if they just did the change based on talking on the spot, or did she need to have copies of the company documents, power of attorney etc?

 

seems mixed experiences around this topic, I heard of a farang who has a company owned house with personal water, but also heard of cases where change has been rejected as owned by company...anyway I would like to give it a try, just for the sake of principle even if by all means the 350baht is not a lot...

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, mran66 said:

 

okay...do you recall if they just did the change based on talking on the spot, or did she need to have copies of the company documents, power of attorney etc?

 

seems mixed experiences around this topic, I heard of a farang who has a company owned house with personal water, but also heard of cases where change has been rejected as owned by company...anyway I would like to give it a try, just for the sake of principle even if by all means the 350baht is not a lot...

No, pretty sure she just needed a few old bills and receipts, and to complete a form. But you never know with these folks, love the red tape, usually. Definitely didn't take company docs. I might add they were familiar with seeing her, as she went monthly to pay the bill.

[Kerryd]

We used to be on "Chok Chai" water. Then it was redone a few years ago and we had new meters and were on the Provincial Water Authority system. 

I remember going to the PWA office to get the bill in my name. I don't recall the paperwork and I don't remember taking the green book (and it's a company house) but one trip to the PWA was all it took. I think I had some other utility bills and probably my passport.

Looking at a bill now, I don't see my name (even in Thai) but the rate is "T11". (20.40 per unit price I think.)

Maybe I got lucky because almost the whole village was basically there at the same time for the same thing. (My last bill was actually only 49 baht. Next one may be even less as it seems we are out of water more often than not lately.)

[Leaver]

On 6/26/2020 at 4:26 PM, jacko45k said:

My house is in a company name, and my water used to be. After talking with a neighbour, I sent the Mrs down to the PWA with a few past bills and she was able to convince them to change my Tariff to that of a domestic user. It is somewhat cheaper now.

Could that come back and bite you in the future, and I don't mean the water bill?  

[jacko45k]

12 hours ago, Leaver said:

Could that come back and bite you in the future, and I don't mean the water bill?  

In what way? It has been a well used method for people to own their own houses for many years. I regard it as more secure than putting it in your Thai girlfriend's or wife's name. Off topic and well discussed eleswhere.

[Leaver]

8 hours ago, jacko45k said:

In what way? It has been a well used method for people to own their own houses for many years. I regard it as more secure than putting it in your Thai girlfriend's or wife's name. Off topic and well discussed eleswhere.

It's illegal for a foreigner to set up a Thai Company, for the purpose of owning land.  

 

Just wondering if changing the tariff of your water would basically be an admission that the Thai Company owned property is just your residence, because you have put it on a residential tariff.

 

  

[jacko45k]

12 minutes ago, Leaver said:

It's illegal for a foreigner to set up a Thai Company, for the purpose of owning land.  

 

Just wondering if changing the tariff of your water would basically be an admission that the Thai Company owned property is just your residence, because you have put it on a residential tariff.

 

  

Admission to who exactly, it is between me and the PWA? The fact my house is in a company name does not preclude it from being a residence. A condo too can be owned in a company name... better that than in the absent partner's name!

[Leaver]

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

Admission to who exactly, it is between me and the PWA? The fact my house is in a company name does not preclude it from being a residence. A condo too can be owned in a company name... better that than in the absent partner's name!

I don't own a property here.  When I researched it, I pretty much found out straight away it wasn't for me, so stopped my research. Not to mention, the purchase price, when invested elsewhere, earned more than the rent on the exact same property.  I do not profess to know all the details about foreign property ownership here.

 

I simply asked if your actions with PWA could not provide some evidence to another government body in the future that your Thai Company was only formed for the purpose of owning or controlling property here, which I believe to be illegal.  

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, Leaver said:

I simply asked if your actions with PWA could not provide some evidence to another government body in the future that your Thai Company was only formed for the purpose of owning or controlling property here, which I believe to be illegal.  

No, it is the land rather than property to be exact. As  I said, there are a lot of places held this way, but I wish I had rented like you.

[Rimmer]

Topic is about PWA    NOT owning land and houses