Generally, the water use sectors are classified according to irrigation, domestic water supply, industry, livestock and mining. Hydro-power may be also considered as a water user as water is lost in the reservoirs by evaporation and infiltration, and water release does not follow anymore the natural flows pattern. In Nam Ton watershed, for the time being, water is mainly used for domestic purpose and irrigation. There is no significant industrial use, no hydro-power dam and the mining sector is limited to the gold mine in Houeykham for which no data were made available. Livestock water use is also likely not very significant. Domestic water use depends mainly from the ground water resources and irrigation use relies on surface water although this situation may change in a near future with more potential use from ground water resources.
Water use in Nam Ton Watershed is limited to two important sectors : domestic water supply and irrigation