Mr. Athapol Charoenshunsa, Director General of Pollution Control Department (PCD), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, revealed that PCD visited pig farms in Ratchaburi Province to monitor performance of wastewater treatment system and quality of effluent from point source. It was found that in many pig farms, wastewater treatment system could not treat wastewater according to water quality standard. PCD had the meeting with the President of the Learning Center under the Royal Initiatives at Ban Doi Din and representatives from the Mae Klong Lover Network in Ratchaburi Province, Phetchaburi Province, and Samut Songkhram Province to solve that problem for local people in order to maintain a sustainable environment.
Mr. Athapol assigned Mr. Thalearngsak Petchsuwan, Deputy Director General of PCD, to take staffs from the Environmental Protection Unit (EPU), Regional Environmental Office 8 (Ratchaburi), Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Ratchaburi Province, Chom Bueng District Livestock Office, and Chom Phon Town Municipality to inspect and enforce in order to control wastewater discharge from pig farms in Chom Bueng Sub-district, Chom Phon District, Ratchaburi Province. It was found that those pig farms are considered as the source of pollution, pig farming type A (equivalent to 5,000 fattening pigs). It has one set of biogas wastewater treatment system with an unknown size and 9 oxidation ponds. The utilization of wastewater is for pouring sugarcanes, bamboo shoots, banana trees, and lemon farms. Sample of wastewater from the last wastewater treatment pond was collected for analysis. If the effluent does not meet the water quality standard, by virtue of Section 82(2) of Environmental Promotion and Conservation Act, B.E. 2535 (1992) the pig farms have to order to improve wastewater treatment system to meet the required standard and it should be monitored continuously.
Mr. Athapol said that, subsequently, EPU investigated complaints on pig farms wastewater discharging into the public waterway in Nam Phu Sub-district Administrative Organization, Mueang District, together with ISOC Ratchaburi Province, Head of Village No. 5, and Nam Phu Sub-district Administrative Organization. This examination was conducted based on the villagers’ complaint on pig farm discharging wastewater into the waterway through 2 private lands and to the public stream, causing huge damage to people living nearby the area. Upon this complaint, EPU 8 (Ratchaburi Province) coordinated to make more understanding with business operator and complainant and inspected and collected sampling of wastewater discharge. Currently, it is in the process of notifying the rights to object and present evidence. Nam Phu Sub-district Administrative Organization ordered to that pig farm to pump wastewater discharge from the public waterway back to wastewater treatment ponds rapidly. Then, EPU 8 (Ratchaburi Province) will collect wastewater samples from the public waterway to analyze water quality.
