Water supply fluctuates, price increases... steadily

According to people's feedback, since the beginning of the dry season in 2025, many areas in Buon Ma Thuot City have been continuously cut off from domestic water. This situation is common in residential areas in Tan Loi ward, Cu Ebur, Hoa Thuan and Ea Tu communes. Water is cut off at different times, making people very passive, making their daily life difficult and inconvenient.

Ms. LHÂ’s family (Block 7, Tan Loi Ward) has 6 members. Recently, the tap water is weak and not enough to flow into the tank, so she and her husband have to carry buckets to the neighbor’s house to ask for well water. This is also a common situation for many people around her house when they have to buy more buckets and basins and wake up early in the morning to collect clean water. Some people have to buy booster pumps to improve the tap water supply, but this is only a temporary solution because the booster pump does not work effectively due to the weak water flow.

Domestic water of a household in Tan Thanh ward (Buon Ma Thuot city) sometimes flows very weakly.

Similarly, Mr. NNĐ. (Block 7A, Tan Loi Ward) uses an average of 20 - 25 m3 of water per month. Since January 2025, tap water has been very unstable, so he has to use well water. His family's well is also a "lifesaver" for many surrounding households during the dry season, because there are times when there is only one water every 3 days, and when there is water, it drips, only enough for cooking, washing face, not enough for bathing and other activities.

A representative of Dak Lak Water Supply Joint Stock Company (DAKWACO) said that the company is supplying water to 122,000 customers, of which 83,000 are in Buon Ma Thuot City. The unit has 5 clean water exploitation and production points, with a total capacity of 79,000 m3/day and night, while the largest demand in the city is about 50,000 - 55,000 m3/day and night. Regarding the water shortage and unstable water as reported by the people, the company said that in the dry season, many families do not have well water so they switch to using tap water, not only for daily activities but also for watering plants, so at some times the water source drops.

What people in Buon Ma Thuot City are concerned about is that while the water is unstable and the service quality is not good, the water price has been "silently" increasing every year according to the roadmap. Mr. N.D.P. (Tan Thanh Ward) said that his family has 4 people, the amount of water used for many years is about 12 m3/month on average. From the beginning of 2025 until now, the water bill has increased by 50,000 - 60,000 VND per month. According to him, the cost of water supply in Dak Lak is not high, recently the water has been weaker, but the price has been increasing continuously, which is unreasonable.

A clean water exploitation and production facility of Dak Lak Water Supply Joint Stock Company.

According to research, on November 29, 2022, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 2653/QD-UBND approving the average retail price of clean water and the roadmap for adjusting the retail price of domestic water of DAKWACO. Accordingly, from 2023 to 2025, the retail price of domestic water will be adjusted to increase by about 60% cumulatively over the years, ensuring that by 2025, the retail price of domestic water will be adjusted according to the roadmap equal to the average retail price of clean water (VND 15,258/m3). Specifically, in 2023, the price will increase by 15%; in 2024, the cumulative price will increase by 35%; in 2025, the cumulative price will increase by 35%.

According to Decision No. 08/2023/QD-UBND dated March 7, 2023 of the Provincial People's Committee on regulating the selling price of clean water for daily life in Dak Lak province, the selling price of clean water for daily life of DAKWACO to households in Buon Ma Thuot City in 2023 is 10,710 VND/m3; in 2024: 12,600 VND/m3; in 2025: 14,900 VND/m3. The selling price according to the roadmap is implemented from January 1 and ends on December 31 of the year and does not include value added tax, environmental protection fee, and forest environmental service fee.

According to the Department of Finance, if the roadmap is followed, water prices will increase in 2020, but due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the province did not increase according to the Government's direction so as not to cause more difficulties for the people. According to regulations, water prices must be calculated correctly, taking into account all input factors, taking into account the profits of enterprises, but not exceeding the framework of the Ministry of Finance (maximum of 18,000 VND/m3). The current price plan was developed in 2019, applied in 2023, the input costs will change in the direction of increase, which is a disadvantage for production units.

Currently, DAKWACO no longer purchases commercial water from Buon Ma Thuot Water Supply Company Limited, Dat Ly Water Supply Joint Stock Company and does not purchase raw water from Ea Sup Ha Lake and Nam Hong - Hop Thanh Lake. Therefore, to ensure the rights of water users, the Department of Finance will advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue a decision to adjust the selling price of clean water for daily use of DAKWACO in Buon Ma Thuot City, Ea Sup and Buon Don districts and Ea Na and Dray Sap communes of Krong Ana district. Therefore, the Department recommends that the company exclude the above water purchase cost (accounting for 8.3% of the total cost of clean water production) from the price structure according to Decision 08/QD-UBND dated March 7, 2023 of the Provincial People's Committee.

On February 25, 2025, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision 12/2025/QD-UBND, regulating the assignment of state management tasks on prices and price appraisal in Dak Lak province.

Accordingly, the Department of Construction is assigned to appraise the specific price plan for clean water in urban areas from March 7, 2025. However, according to the Department of Construction, clean water is an essential commodity and product, affecting all people as well as all production and business activities. Price adjustment must be carried out on the basis of reviewing and evaluating the overall water price plans of wholesale and production units, payment conditions of users, investment efficiency, business plans of units, ensuring the harmonious interests of people and businesses.

In addition, Circular No. 45/2024/TT-BTC, dated July 1, 2024 of the Ministry of Finance does not specifically stipulate the cost of ensuring water supply, water price calculation output, clean water loss rate, etc., making it difficult to calculate clean water prices. Therefore, the competent authority recommends that the Provincial People's Committee implement the average retail price of domestic water and the roadmap for adjusting the retail price of domestic water as it is now until the end of 2025. At the same time, establish a working group to review the clean water price plan in the province with the participation of relevant departments and branches.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/kinh-te/202504/nuoc-cap-phap-phu-gia-tang-on-dinh-4971bda/