Description

Frequent exposure and suffering the adverse impacts of natural disasters like flooding and drought have resulted in many issues concerning the lack of clean water in the central province of Quảng Bình. Solving this problem is a challenge for the local government.

As of 2020, only 38.5% of the households have access to water from 177 rural central water supply stations, about 56% from decentralized stations, and 5.3% have no access to hygienic water. Only 33.07% of the rural population has access to clean water from the central water supply stations. This figure is modest compared to the national rate. The majority of waterworks have been constructed for a long time with drawback technologies and under degradation because of the frequent impact of flooding, storm, drought, and saline intrusion, etc. As a consequence, 35 – 40% of the waterworks are negatively affected by natural disasters. In 2020, about 50% of the water work stopped working in the period of flooding.

To ensure the sustainable water supply in the rural area, the provincial Centre for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (CERWASS) is consulting the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the People’s Committee in the investigation, renovation, repairing, and investment in water supply works, said Bùi Thái Nguyên – director of CERWASS. For the (remote) areas which suffer water scarcity, contamination of alum and salt, in the long run, it needs investments in regional and inter-commune water supply systems.

Related article: MARD: 60% rural population will have access to standard clean water by 2025

Sources & further information: “Giải quyết bài toán nước sạch bền vững cho người dân vùng lũ Quảng Bình” at https://moitruong.net.vn, accessed on 6 December 2021.