Saboteurs Shut Down Rayongâ€™s Water Supply

October 18, 2012

Much of Rayong was without water for three days after burglars cut an electric wire that short-circuited the water supply station’s pump. People were short of water throughout the city, and many hotels, hospitals, entertainment spots and schools had to close because of the shortage.

RAYONG – October 18, 2012 [PDN]: At 8 a.m., Rayong water supply officials announced that they had hastily set up two emergency generators to resume water service to people in Rayong province, which largely had been without water from October 16-18. Water service would resume by October 19, they assured residents.

The officials disclosed that the reason for the disrupted supply was an intruder had deliberately sabotaged the water pump, by cutting an electric wire to their pump that caused a short circuit.

Making the announcement were Mr. Awut Suksawat, assistant manager of the Rayong water supply authority; and Mr. Phuchong Rattranon, the head of technical department. They and their staff had investigated the problem that occurred at water distribution station, moo 1 Namkork, Muang, Rayong.

Officials found that an unknown burglar had cut out a 50 cm length from the wire that linked the adaptor to the main water pump in the water distribution system. As a result, the fuse of the adaptor blew out and disrupted the electric supply to the water pump that later shut down.

Mr. Phuchong said it was regrettable that the people of Rayong had to suffer from the act of the criminal who cut the adapter wire. This damage could not be calculated because it affected all people in Rayong, he said.

On October 13, the water supply authority had notified the police that a thief with wire-cutting equipment had entered the water distribution station and cut 50 cm of the wire before escaping.

The thief also seemed well aware of the presence of the CCTV and had avoided being recorded. Officials suspected that the vandalizing saboteur was someone who knew the system of the station very well. So to avoid the CCTV, he had concealed himself behind the Elephant Ear planting to avoid being viewed by the CCTV at the entrance of the station.

Mr. Awut Suksawas, the assistant manager of Rayong water supply authority, said that the water shortages began at 4 a.m. on October 13. The staff inspected all the pipes for the source of the malfunction, but did not find any broken pipe. So they checked the system further, and then found that the length of wire had been cut out from the adapter.

So the electricity that powered the machine of water distribution system could not complete the 4 phase circuit fully, eventually resulting in the electric loading becoming too heavy, which caused the fuse of the adaptor to overheat and burn out. When the electricity was cut, the machine could not distribute water at full capacity.

Water supply officials suspect that the burglar must have had inside knowledge of the electric system of the station, and the criminal act might be the work of at least two people.

Meanwhile, water supply officials rigged up a temporary solution by using two 500-Kilowatt generators to generate electricity to the water distribution system, to restore the water machine pump to send water to residents and businesses.

A journalist investigated further with the Universal Utility Co. Ltd., the company invested with distributing the water supply with the Rayong water supply authority. He discovered the company, which supplied the security guards, had recently canceled daytime security.

So someone who knew there was no daytime security, and also knew every routine and daily movement in the water station, could easily avoid the CCTV and sneak inside to do damage or steal things.

The thieves were also clever and knowledgeable enough not to cut all the wires to the pump, because it would immediately shut the system down and draw attention to them, water officials noted.

After notifying the Rayong police, water supply authorities are hurrying to fix the damage to the equipment, and investigating further for possible suspects.