Towards clean and sustainable water supply

The province currently has 1,204 centralized water supply projects in rural areas

Efforts to provide domestic water for people

Currently, the province has 1,204 centralized water supply projects in rural areas. Of which, Long An (before the merger) has 1,125 projects with the rate of households using clean water reaching 82.68%; Tay Ninh (before the merger) has 79 projects with the rate of clean water use reaching about 72%. After the merger, the province set a target of increasing the rate of households using clean water to at least 75% by 2025.

On this basis, Tay Ninh province issued many plans and directives to ensure safe water supply. Specifically, Plan No. 4064, dated December 12, 2023 on ensuring safe water supply in rural areas for the period 2024-2028, issued a list of 47 projects requiring safe water supply plans. The province has also implemented dozens of projects to upgrade and renovate inter-commune water supply works, gradually eliminating small, scattered, and inefficient water supply stations. Notably, more than 95% of water supply stations in the province use underground water sources, which are less affected by saltwater intrusion. However, in the dry season, many areas such as Tan Bien, Tan Chau, Ben Cau, Can Duoc, Can Giuoc, Tan Tru, etc. still have local water shortages due to unstable water quality. Facing this situation, the province has implemented many solutions, such as: transporting clean water to the collection point, supporting people to build rainwater tanks, equipping water purifiers, expanding water supply pipelines, and installing equipment at stations to cope with the drought season.

In the 2021-2025 period, Long An province (old) invested 250 billion VND from the lottery to build and upgrade 34 water supply works, of which 31 works have been completed. At the same time, Tay Ninh province (old) also invested 61.9 billion VND to upgrade 8 water supply works. In 2025, the province plans to invest in 10 more projects (including 8 transitional and 2 new constructions projects). Notably, in the 2026-2030 period, Tay Ninh has included 12 works with a total capital of nearly 849 billion VND in the medium-term public investment plan, demonstrating its determination to improve water supply infrastructure in a fundamental and systematic manner.

Along with public investment, the province has also actively called for socialization with a series of large projects such as: Phu My Vinh Investment and Construction Joint Stock Company expanding Hoa Khanh Tay Water Plant to 80,000m³/day; Biwase - Long An increasing water treatment capacity at Nhi Thanh to 60,000m³/day; Aqua One investing in the Vam Co Dong River surface water plant with a capacity of up to 500,000m³/day; Thanh Long Group deploying a clean water plant in Duc Hoa with a capacity of 300,000m³/day. These are all large-scale projects, using stable surface water sources, contributing to reducing pressure on groundwater exploitation and improving the quality of clean water supplied to people.

In general, water supply programs have contributed to fundamentally solving the shortage of domestic water, especially in hot spots such as Can Duoc, Can Giuoc, Tan Chau, Tan Bien. The water supply system in localities has been gradually operated stably, and water quality has been more strictly controlled.

Propaganda and raising public awareness have also been focused on. People have gradually changed their usage habits, learned how to preserve water sources, and proactively equipped themselves with water filters and tanks. Policies to support clean water prices and support the installation of household water treatment equipment have also created conditions for people to access clean water more easily.

Striving for 100% of rural people to use clean water by 2045

Construction of pipelines bringing clean water to remote communes

Despite many positive results, the rural water supply situation in Tay Ninh still faces many difficulties. Many small-scale water supply projects (under 300 households) account for a high proportion, making it difficult to maintain and operate effectively. Most projects managed by the community or the commune's People's Committee lack expertise and maintenance funds, so their operations are not sustainable.

Water quality at some stations has deteriorated because the projects have been in use for more than 15 years and the treatment technology is outdated. The community management model is unprofessional, and inspection, maintenance, and monitoring of water quality are still lax. In addition, the current clean water price framework (maximum 11,000 VND/m³) is not attractive enough for investors due to high investment costs, large water supply areas, and poor technical infrastructure. In some places, water distribution still goes through many intermediaries, increasing retail prices, causing disadvantages for consumers.

In addition, the planning of water supply areas has not been implemented, causing confusion in investment work. Many communes have not included land planning for water supply construction in the medium-term public investment plan, lacking a legal basis for implementation.

According to the Center for Irrigation and Clean Water of Tay Ninh province, in order to gradually complete the clean water supply system, ensure safe, sustainable water supply and adapt to climate change, the province focuses on a number of key groups of solutions such as: reviewing and reclassifying all water supply infrastructure assets; updating the set of indicators, statistics to evaluate the effectiveness of works; improving the effectiveness of water quality monitoring, strengthening sanctions for water supply units that do not meet standards; promptly promulgating the planning of water supply areas of Tay Ninh province, integrating indicators on quality of life, public health, supporting poor households and ethnic minority households to access clean water; prioritizing surface water exploitation instead of groundwater.

Tay Ninh aims to increase the rate of clean water use to at least 75% by 2025 

At the same time, continue to implement the public investment plan for the period 2026-2030, focusing on large-scale, inter-district projects; mobilize international resources and technical support from foreign organizations to build drought and salinity response projects; treat brackish water and salt water into fresh water; store and use rainwater effectively. At the same time, increase the application of advanced water treatment technology, develop household water treatment models, exploit renewable energy in water treatment and supply, continue to create conditions to attract businesses to invest in large-scale water supply projects; review and strictly handle investors who do not comply with water supply service commitments; promote propaganda to change clean water use behavior; effectively implement programs and policies to support water prices and household water treatment equipment according to the Resolution of the Provincial People's Council.

Clean water is not only an essential need but also a key factor in improving the quality of life, protecting health, and contributing to promoting rural socio-economic development. The province's continuous efforts in ensuring clean water supply for people are clear evidence of its determination towards a sustainable development future, leaving no one behind.

With the synchronous participation of the entire political system and the support of the community and businesses, the goal of ensuring 100% of rural people use clean water by 2045 according to the National Strategy is completely feasible./.

By Bui Tung - Translated by Q. Thien

Source: https://baolongan.vn/nuoc-sach-cho-moi-nha-huong-toi-cap-nuoc-an-toan-ben-vung-a199332.html