Water scarcity forcing Mrauk-U hoteliers to suspend operations

By Admin 08 Apr 2023

DMG Newsroom
8 April 2023, Mrauk-U

Water scarcity is forcing some hoteliers in the ancient town of Mrauk-U to suspend operations as they cannot adequately serve customers.

“Lately water is only supplied once a week. We have difficulties operating because of the water shortage. Normally, the hotel industry has to do a lot of washing. We will have to suspend operations if the water shortage continues,” Ko Kyaw Soe Min, manager of Wadi Htut Hotel, told DMG.

Some hotels that have continued accepting reservations have had to buy water from outside sources.

“We didn’t have access to regular water supply in the past. But then, we were supplied every two days. We have to buy water now. We have to pay around 65,000 kyats for around 2,000 litres of water,” said manager Ma Saw Htay Yi of Shwe Mrauk-U Hotel.

Some hotels and guesthouses have dug artesian wells as their profits have been negatively affected by water bills. But the water is said to be salty as the town is surrounded by creeks that carry seawater.

Those who dig artesian wells are not guaranteed that the wells they dig will produce water. It is a relatively high-risk proposition for some, as it costs around 400,000 kyats to dig an artesian well.

“We have decided to dig an artesian well because of the water shortage. They didn’t give a guarantee that the well will produce water. We will have to give them 100,000 kyats even if the well does not produce water, and 200,000 kyats if water comes out. It costs around 400,000 kyats, including costs for pipes and other things,” said Ko Kyaw Soe Min.

Letsel Lake, a major lake supplying Mrauk-U residents, is running dry, and the regime pipes water from Anuma Lake to fill Letsel Lake. Local residents say water from Anuma Lake is too dirty to use.

“It is unacceptable that Mrauk-U is facing water shortages while it has dams and lakes,” said Mrauk-U resident Ko Kyaw Naing.

Hoteliers are concerned that the town will attract fewer Thingyan holidaymakers because of the water shortage.

A total of 4,468 local and foreign tourists visited Mrauk-U last year, and 3,195 of them visited the town during Thingyan, according to the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism.