Many shortcomings in investing in clean water projects

Do more, waste more

For many years, the family of three of Mr. Le Van Hao (Tri Binh village, Binh Nguyen commune, Binh Son district, Quang Ngai province) had to transport water from other places to use at home. The family treated the water for eating and drinking through a filter, while the water for bathing and washing was used directly.

“There used to be a water supply project here, but it was used for a few years and then degraded and abandoned. In this area, the well water source is not guaranteed, so we have to find water near the mountain, where it is less polluted,” said Mr. Hao.

*Hundreds of clean water projects in Quang Ngai operate inefficiently, causing waste.*

According to local people, the reason why people are not interested in the water supply project is because it was built in the middle of the rice fields, and they are afraid that the water source will be polluted by fertilizers and pesticides. Since then, the project has been damaged and gradually degraded. Currently, after a long period of abandonment, the Tri Binh domestic water supply project has seriously degraded, lying alone in the middle of the rice fields, surrounded by weeds.

Abandoned, damaged, inoperable water supply works and ineffective water supply operations are a reality occurring in many localities in Quang Ngai, mainly concentrated in mountainous districts.

Mr. Ho Van Tinh in Son Tra commune, Tra Bong district said, our people really want to have clean water for daily use, especially in the dry season, but I see that the clean water project invested by the state only operates for a short time before "running out of water". For the past few years, our people have had to buy their own pipes to bring water from the stream for daily use.

In the mountainous district of Ba To, out of 75 rural clean water supply projects, only 3 projects operate sustainably, the remaining 40 projects are not operating, 22 projects are operating less sustainably and 10 projects are operating relatively sustainably. Some projects have even been completed but are abandoned, unable to be accepted and put into use due to damage. Specifically, the project to repair and upgrade the domestic water supply system in Mang Den village, Ba Vi commune, was invested with an amount of 500 million VND.

According to the People's Committee of Ba To district, this project has been 100% completed, ensuring compliance with the approved design. However, the pipeline from the source to the treatment area with a length of 150 m of phase I was completely washed away and damaged due to the impact of the 2020 flood season, so there is no domestic water for people in Y Vang and Mang Den villages. At the same time, water cannot be supplied to the project's tank to operate the next phase, leading to the inability to accept and put into use.

Sustainable management solutions are needed.

By the end of 2022, Quang Ngai province had 513 centralized rural clean water supply projects. Of these, 484 projects were operating relatively sustainably, less sustainably, and not operating, accounting for about 94.35% of the total number of projects.

The reason for this situation is that there are still many shortcomings in management and construction investment. After the project is completed, the investor does not check and evaluate the achieved parameters compared to the design; there is no management and operation process; there is no plan to train the operating staff.

The Commune People's Committee manages, uses and exploits the project without any professional staff; maintenance and repair work is almost not carried out. People's awareness of clean water has increased, but there are still limitations in the use and preservation of the project. Annual storms and floods damage some project items and water supply pipes, but the Commune People's Committee and District People's Committee do not have the funds to repair them, leading to major damage and stopping the project from operating.

clean water.jpg — *People in many mountainous districts of Quang Ngai still have to use spring water and unsanitary water sources every day.*

In addition to the shortcomings in management, through our research, in many localities, the initial survey for construction projects was not close to reality. Many projects were surveyed during the rainy season, when there was a lot of water, but when the dry season came, the water was low and not enough to supply the people. The projects were not in operation for many months, leading to damage, and gradually became abandoned.

In order to provide stable water supply, maintain sufficient pressure, continuity, sufficient quantity, ensure water quality according to regulations, contribute to improving the quality of life and protecting people's health, Quang Ngai People's Committee has just issued a plan for safe water supply in rural areas for the period 2024-2028. Accordingly, the locality will review and clearly identify the causes and responsibilities of relevant parties in the management work so that damaged works cannot be repaired or upgraded. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment monitors and supervises the exploitation and use of water resources, inspects and guides the establishment and management of water source protection corridors in the province. Regularly organize inspections, checks and supervises activities in the sanitary protection zone of domestic water intake areas and water source protection corridors.

Obviously, the investment in the construction of clean water supply projects in rural areas shows the attention of the Party and the State to rural areas, especially people in mountainous districts, highlands, and ethnic minority areas. Thereby contributing to improving and enhancing the quality of life for rural and mountainous areas. Ineffective and non-operational clean water supply projects not only waste investment capital but also reduce people's trust.

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