Ensuring the progress of the Project "Clean water supply and environmental sanitation in rural areas of the Central region"

(Baonghean) - Nghe An is one of 6 provinces (including Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh) implementing the Project "Clean water supply and environmental sanitation in rural areas in the Central region" with loans from the Asian Development Bank - ADB from 2011 to present. Thanks to the timely support of relevant levels and sectors and the efforts of people in the beneficiary areas, the project is on schedule and helps many rural households to use clean water.

Through the Project “Clean water supply and environmental sanitation in rural areas in the Central region”, Dien Yen commune (Dien Chau) has implemented a pilot sub-project on water supply and environmental sanitation. Accordingly, the locality is allowed to build centralized water supply works using modern water treatment technology and build toilets, while people are allowed to participate in communication activities to improve their capacity and awareness of clean water and environmental sanitation.

People of Long Thanh commune (Yen Thanh) choose products to install water supply pipes.

The Dien Yen water supply and environmental sanitation sub-project, implemented since 2011, was built with a water supply system with a capacity of 1,700m3/day, meeting the demand for clean water according to the Ministry of Health's standard 01 for 3,500 households including 15,000 people and agencies, units, factories, schools, production and business establishments. The clean water supply project is invested with modern production technology, surface water is exploited from the N1 canal of the Northern Irrigation System. Along with the investment in clean water supply projects, Dien Yen people also have improved household hygiene conditions, because the project supports poor and near-poor households in need of building and renovating 1,780 toilets. The communication staff of the Center for Rural Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation has conducted many training sessions to raise awareness among people about clean water and environmental sanitation... Up to now, the Dien Yen Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation Pilot Sub-project has been completed and has been highly appreciated by experts from the Asian Development Bank - ADB and ministries and branches for bringing practical benefits to people in the beneficiary area.

Mr. Pham Duy Ky, Deputy Director of the Center for Rural Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation, said: “With the success of the Dien Yen Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation Pilot Sub-project, our province continues to implement the second phase of the project, providing clean water and environmental sanitation to the communes of Long Thanh, Khanh Thanh, Vinh Thanh and Trung Thanh (Yen Thanh). The project has a total investment capital of 113 billion VND, of which ADB supports nearly 87% of the capital, the rest is counterpart capital from the locality and beneficiaries. The project has 6 bidding packages including investment project establishment, design, construction, supervision... Up to now, the bidding packages of the project are being implemented according to plan".

According to the design, the project to build a clean water plant with a capacity of 3,500 m3/day will ensure the supply of 80 liters of clean water/day/person for 5,300 households in Long Thanh, Khanh Thanh, Trung Thanh communes and 3 hamlets 5, 6, 7, Trung Thanh commune. Mr. Tran Van Viet, Director of Dai Viet Joint Stock Company (one of the main contractors of the project) said: “The main items of the clean water plant are a 400 mm diameter pipeline leading raw water from the N6 canal, a raw water reservoir with an area of ​​31,319 m2, a level 1 pumping station with a filtration system, water treatment with a capacity of 3,500 m3/day and a level 2 pumping station with a clean water tank of 1,000 m3/day. Along with that is the development of a pipeline system (from D300 - D25) to transmit, distribute, and supply water from the plant to households. This is a clean water plant with large capacity and modern technology, so the company is determined to construct on schedule and with quality. Currently, we have prepared equipment, machinery and human resources to focus on constructing the clean water plant by the end of August, and it is expected to complete the water plant in the third quarter of 2016”.

Along with the construction of a clean water plant, the project's beneficiary areas will also invest in implementing water supply and public sanitation works at 9 units, including schools, health stations, etc. At the same time, 490 poor and near-poor households (headed by women with sole income and economic difficulties) will receive financial support to build underground septic tanks. Ms. Thai Thi Quyen, Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Long Thanh commune, said: "Through the Women's Union, a revolving savings fund for water supply and environmental sanitation will be implemented to help many households access investment capital to upgrade and build water supply and sanitation works, contributing to improving living conditions and protecting the environment."

To effectively implement the project and ensure the sustainability of water supply and sanitation works, Long Thanh, Khanh Thanh, Trung Thanh communes and 3 hamlets 5, 6, 7 of Trung Thanh commune have established a Steering Committee for clean water and environmental sanitation, and at the same time established 4 propaganda teams. With the support of communication staff of the Center for Rural Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation, communication members are trained in communication skills, guided in implementing community-based action plans... With the core force in communication work, grassroots propagandists will integrate propaganda on water supply content in commune and hamlet meetings and organize practical activities such as: Launching "Green Saturday" every week; Propaganda and mobilizing people to actively participate in the water supply and environmental sanitation project.

With the efforts of relevant levels, sectors and people in the beneficiary areas, the project "Clean water supply and rural environmental sanitation in the Central region" in Nghe An is ensuring progress.

Hoang Vinh