Vietnam - Hundreds of billions of dong spent, but people don’t have clean water

Tens of clean water pumping stations have been built in the communes in the outskirts of Hanoi to bring clean water to local residents-- in the context of the serious underground water pollution. However, the stations have never been used and they are awaiting liquidation.


Dying for over 10 years

In 1990s, the Hanoi’s authorities decided to spend hundreds of billions of dong to build tens of clean water supply stations in the areas, where underground water got seriously polluted in the process of rural area urbanization. However, according to the Hanoi Department for Agriculture and Rural Development, 16 stations have never been put into operation or have been downgrading.

Nang luong moi’s reporters came to the Phu Dong clean water station in Phu Dong commune in Gia Lam, one of the 16 stations which have been left idle. It was in the morning of a working day, but no worker was seen at the station covering an area of hundreds of square meters.

A local resident told the reporters that they should look for the security guard because only the officer can open the door of the locked station.

“There is nothing for you to see at the station. It has stopped operation for the last eight years,” said the security guard, named Xuyen.

All the things the reporters could see on the campus of the station were tractors and other agricultural equipments. A building which was designed as the operation center of the station has turned into the storehouse, where there were oil drums or construction materials. Especially, the water supply unit has been used as the altar. 

One could see in the area around the pumping station the pipelines, water filtration, which has become stained and rusty over the last 10 years. These were all the things which have been left at the construction work worth 4.5 billion dong.

According to Xuan, the clean water station was handed over to the commune’s authorities in 2001. In the first phase of operation, the station provided clean water to 100 out of 3000 households here. However, as the money collected from the households using clean water was too small, which was not big enough to keep the operation of the station, it has been left idle since then.

Xuan said that the money local residents had to pay for the clean water was higher than their income. Therefore, they would rather use the polluted underground water than paying for clean water.

When the reporters expressed their willing to have a meeting with the leaders of the Phu Dong commune’s authorities, Hoang Duc Cuong, Chair of the Phu Dong Commune, said that the reporters should have made an appointment before, while he could not receive the reporters because he had to leave.

Some minutes later, the reporters were asked to go out of the commune’s people’s committee office, because the working hours finished.

It was 10.30 am.

Waiting 10 years for liquidation

After 10 years of being exposed to the sun and rain, and existing without any maintenance, most of the clean water pumping works have been seriously damaged. Meanwhile, as the underground water has been seriously polluted, local residents have to buy clean water from neighboring areas.

Similarly, in Xuan Non Commune in Dong Anh province, a clean water station, which was built in 2001 with the cost of one billion dong, has been left idle.

Nang luong moi’s reporters had to wait two hours outside the station but they still could not meet any one, who could lead them to the inside area of the station. All the operation systems, valves, meters, backbone pipelines and tanks have been absolutely damaged which cannot be used any more.

Kim Tien hamlet has been found as the place, where the toxin percentages have far exceeded the allowed levels. Local residents well know the information, but they have no other choice than using the polluted underground water.

According to Nguyen Doan Luong, Deputy Chair of Xuan Non Commune’s People’s Committee said that local residents refused to use the water from the station, because they do not have money to pay. Therefore, the local authorities have decided to liquidate the station. 

Nang Luong Moi
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