Environmental Auditing on Water

By

I. Environmental Auditing on Water

(I) National Environmental Policy on Water;

Thailand has prepared the Policy and Prospective Plan for Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality, 1997-2016 that was undertaken in accordance with the Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act of 1992.

The Policy and Prospective Plan for Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality aims for integration of natural resources management and enhancement, and conservation of natural environment quality, with sustainable economic and social development, and to ensure the quality of life. The policies include essential strategies to accelerate rehabilitation of renewable resources and application of mitigation measures to address water pollution, air pollution, noise and vibration pollution, pollution from solid waste, hazardous materials and hazardous waste.

The Policy and Prospective for Plan Enhancement and Conservation of National

Environmental Quality for the Period 1997-2016, consists of six main policy as areas follows:

Policy 1 : Policy on Natural Resources
Policy 2 : Policy on Pollution Prevention and Eradication
Policy 3 : Policy on Natural and Cultural Environments
Policy 4 : Policy on Community Environment
Policy 5 : Policy on Environmental Education and Promotion
Policy 6 : Policy on Environmental Technology
  In order to ensure that these key policies more clearly reflect the vision, and in order to indicate the direction for planning the management the direction for planning the management of environmental quality according to Article 35, sectoral policies are presented in detail next. The sectoral policies are summarized, providing directions for planning the management of environmental quality in order to attain targets of the Policy and Prospective Plan for Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality (1997-2016) within 20 years.

 

 

 

The sectoral policy on water pollution are:

1. Accelerate the rehabilitation of water quality in important water sources throughout the country.

2. Reduce and control water pollution originating from community activities, agriculture, and industry.  

3. Producers of polluted water must be responsible for paying the management of water pollution.

4. Promote and support private sector participation in co-investing and managing to solve water pollution problem.

  

The Action Adopted;

The period for implementing the Policy and Prospective Plan for Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality is 20 years, determined by virtue of Section 13 (1), of the 1992 Act. Following approval of the National Environment Board, an national action plan called the "Environmental Quality Management Plan", must be formulated for implementation according to Sections 35 and 36. Furthermore, the "Provincial Environmental Quality Management Action Plan" shall be formulated as stipulated by Sections 37,38,39,40 and 41 of the 1993 Act.

According to Section 35: "It shall be the duty of all government agencies

concerned to take actions within their powers and functions, that are necessary for effective implementation of the Environmental Quality Management Plan, and, in order to ensure that actions are taken to achieve the objectives and goals as prescribed, it shall be the duty of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to give advice to government agencies and state enterprises which are concerned with the formulation of work plans or the taking of any actions, with a view to implementing the Environmental Quality Management Plan". Therefore, the Policy and Prospective Plan for Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality over the period 1997-2016, are essential policy guidelines for implementation within 20 years, that later will be divided into four five-year plans for environmental quality management. A five-year plan consists of programs, roles, and functions of concerned agencies as specified in Section 36.

 

 

After the Environmental Quality Management Plan has been published in the Government Gazette, it shall be the duty of all government agencies and state enterprises concerned to take actions within their powers and functions that are necessary for effective implementation. As aforementioned, and the duty of the governor of each province to formulate a Provincial Environmental Quality Management Action Plan, and submit the plan to the National Environment Board for approval. In preparing a Provincial Environmental Quality Management Action Plan for province designated as pollution control areas, according to Section 59, the governor shall incorporate into the action plan a detailed plan for mitigation and elimination of pollution, prepared by the local authority, and the local action plan shall form an integral part of the Provincial Environmental Quality Management Action Plan.

 

(II) Introduction on the case of environmental auditing on water carried out by OAG of Thailand

At the present time, water quality in various water sources throughout the country, including surface water, ground water and sea water are deteriorated, particularly in crowded communities and developmental activities, due to contamination of toxic substances from human activities, including community activities as a result of economic growth and industrial, agricultural, and tourism developments. Therefore, the government has funded 83 waste water treatment plants under the Provincial Environmental Quality Management Action Plan through out Thailand with the total capacity of treating 2.84 million cubic meter of wastewater per day.

 

A. Name of Audit Projects;

    Performance audit on waste water treatment projects under the Provincial Environmental Quality Management Action Plan

 

B. Audit Scope;

The audit of the water treatment projects under the Provincial Environmental Quality Management Action Plan will be conducted over 6 months period, from October 1, 2004 ending March 31, 2005. The audit examination will review and report on the roles/functions and responsibilities of the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

C. Type of Audit;

     Performance Audit

 

D. Objectives of Audit;

The overall objective of the audit was to determine whether the projects complied with the objectives or achieved its goals. The audit focused primarily on the waste water treatment project management. Additionally, the audit concentrated on whether the local agencies can collect waste water treatment fee or not.

 

E. Auditees;

Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

 

F. Audit methodologies; Gathering audit evidence techniques are as follow:

- Documentation review

- Interviews

- Questionnaires

- Data analysis

- Observations

 

G. Audit Findings;

1. Only half of the treatment plants that the government has funded, are in operation. The major constraints that have prevented these facilities from full operation are lack of manpower, budget constraint and ineffective revenue raising devices. Most municipalities manage waste water treatment project inefficiently because there are inadequate budget for operation and insufficient operating technicians such as engineer and biologist.

2. Most municipalities cannot collect waste water treatment fee because municipalities not have the municipal laws to collect water treatment fee yet. Currently, some municipalities are exploring the possibility to implement waste water treatment charges. From 1998 to 2000, five municipalities have indicated interest in implementing user charges for wastewater treatment. Pattaya City and Sansuk Municipality began collecting wastewater treatment fee since 2001. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Patong district and Had Yai Municipality are beginning to collect user charges in the near future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

H. Audit Recommendation and Opinions;

1. An effective measure to control pollution is the Polluter-Pays Principle (PPP).

However, many polluters in Thailand are still not responsible for their actions as PPP has not been effectively implemented in Thailand. To help increase the efficiency of the existing wastewater treatment facilities the Polluter-Pays Principle is strongly recommended. Implementation steps are as follows: a) make people understand how they can benefit from the Polluter-Pays Principle, b) set the tariff for the service charges, c) provide the necessary infrastructure and management and d) adopt the necessary monitoring procedure to support and complement the Polluter-Pays Principle.                                                                      

2. To solve the water pollution problems, the related agencies have to amend the legal and regulatory framework enabling support for more effective administration and management of water treatment project.

I. Follow-up Audit

OAG of Thailand will have the follow-up audit appropriately which reports on Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning actions in response to the recommendations and observations of the OAG