Guidelines for management of water supply system for promoting community health in drought conditions: A case study of the Mae Loa Watershed community, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

This mixed-methods research aims to 1) explore the physical infrastructure and management of village water supply systems, 2) analyze the biological quality of village tap water, and 3) synthesize guidelines for managing village water systems to promote community health during drought conditions. The sample includes 180 residents and 20 stakeholders from the
Mae Lae Watershed community, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Data were collected through questionnaires, informal interview, focus group discussion, and laboratory water quality analysis. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. The study found that all the village water systems in the area are sourced from mountain water. During drought conditions, the water supply is insufficient and of poor quality. Additionally, the physical infrastructure of the mountain water system lacks maintenance and repair. Coliform bacteria, fecal coliform bacteria, and E. coli were detected in some areas, failing to meet the Department of Health's standards. The proposed guidelines for managing village water systems to promote community health during drought include designing and developing environmental education activities for water system management through genuine community participation and developing learning activities for basic village tap water quality monitoring.