I get my fresh water from a hand-dug well. So far, it has never dried up, though, this year it has hit a record low back in April of 80 cms. It is now at 1.1 mtrs. This is ample if you are careful on your usage. Unfortunately, I can see the day coming in the not too distant future, when the well will dry up. Looked into getting a narrow bore drilled to 30 mtrs, but it costs 200,000 baht just to set the rig up. Presently having an 8000 ltr tank constructed, so that I can just buy water for a few months if I have to.

Have heard that town water is being rationed and that many wells have gone dry. One of the Thai guys working on the storage tank, said that "since the tsunami, the water from the wells in Kathu is salty". Sounds apocryphal to me.

So, how are the resident Phuket TVers coping with the drought?

I don't live on Phuket but I do have a narrow bore.

84 meters deep. Cost 84,000 baht.

I don't live on Phuket but I do have a narrow bore.

84 meters deep.  Cost 84,000 baht.

Wow! Great price. But then, the drilling rig here is owned by a farang. Was it a lot of hassle to get the government permit to drill deeper than 30 mtrs?

The well I share with 4 other houses is only 15 meters deep and has never - according to one long term resident - gone dry. But about a month ago it was pretty low, so low that one of the neighbours' pumps started sucking air. So his pipe had to be extended.

My pump is quite low-powered, so the water in the house was pretty slow, but after the first rain - about a month ago - the flow got almost back to normal. It was quite a heavy downpour so I guess it all ran off the mountain and into the ground and brought the level back up again.

But that was a month ago and although we've had quite a few showers since then which have worked wonders on the grass, but they've not had that much effect on the water pressure at the house. So I'm beginning to think it depends a lot on where it rains and whether that water can flow into the ground that feeds the well.

What impeccable timing! My water storage tank gets finished on the day the skies open up and the rainy season starts in earnest!

What impeccable timing! My water storage tank gets finished on the day the skies open up and the rainy season starts in earnest!

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And what about that wind? Some of my potted plants were blown over, two large papaya trees blown over and garden furniture rearranged . And I think the bugs are coming out tonight!

Lets not discuss the rain... my parking area/garden in my new house is water logged.. parked my bike and the front tyre sunk 6 inchs (no joke)

And I think the bugs are coming out tonight!

Yup. You were right about the bugs!

The frogs sound happy.

Lets not discuss the rain... my parking area/garden in my new house is water logged.. parked my bike and the front tyre sunk 6 inchs (no joke)

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At least you can get to the front now! Nice road they made, didn't they?

But don't talk to me about soft parking:

The last rainy season I had to get the landlady's brother to help push the truck out of a hole that appeared under one of the rear wheels . It doesn't make for a good night's sleep when you here the rain and wonder if the drive will still be there in morning.

Oh well, now the power's gone - just running off UPS and PC battery. Time for bed said Zebedee .