A closer look at the abandoned water treatment plant in Nghia Dan.
More than 10 years after the approval decision, the Nghia Dan Water Treatment Plant Project remains unfinished.
On October 18, 2012, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision 4041/QD.UBND-DTXD, approving the investment project for the construction of the Nghia Dan District Water Treatment Plant. This project is invested by the Nghia Dan District People's Committee with a total budget of over 100 billion VND. The project is being implemented in Nghia Binh commune, with a capacity of 5,000 m³.3Day and night, the goal is to provide clean water to the people of Nghia Dan town and the surrounding areas.
The project includes the following components: a primary pumping station and a raw water supply pipeline from the Sao River reservoir to the treatment area; and a treatment area with a capacity of 5,000 m³.3/day and night over an area of 13,263.77m²2The water supply network includes transmission and distribution pipelines, service lines, and connections to households.
In 2013, this project officially commenced construction. However, after a period of time during which two rows of buildings and two raw water reservoirs were constructed, the project was... put on hold.
Upon arriving at the project site, we observed that, on the large plot of land, besides the already constructed and abandoned structures, the area was covered in weeds. Because there was no protective fence around it, the area became an ideal place for locals to graze their buffalo and cattle.
A resident living near the project said that construction began with great fanfare in 2013, but stopped after only a few sections were built.
Reportedly, after a prolonged period of inactivity, in October 2015, the Provincial People's Committee issued a decision allowing the Nghia Dan District Water Treatment Plant construction project to be converted from a public investment model to a public-private partnership model under a BOT (build-operate-transfer) contract. HQ Environmental Technology and Investment Consulting Joint Stock Company is the investor of this new project.
According to the plan, the new water treatment plant will be built in Hai Binh hamlet, Nghia Binh commune, on a total area of over 2.8 hectares, of which the raw water pumping station has a total planned land area of 400m².2This factory has a total installed capacity of 30,000 m³.3/day and night, with a total investment of over 200 billion VND. Of which, phase 1 has a capacity of 15,000 m³.3/day and night, phase 2 completed with a capacity of 30,000 m³3as per design (day and night). The project implementation time is 2 years.
However, nearly 10 years after being granted permission to convert to the BOT investment model, the Nghia Dan Water Treatment Plant Construction Project remains stalled. Implementation has only progressed to the stages of surveying, planning, and land clearance.
Mr. Nguyen Hung Cuong, Deputy Head of the Economic and Infrastructure Department (in charge of the department) of Nghia Dan District People's Committee, said: Currently, there is no decision to stop the BOT water treatment plant construction project or switch to another form. According to Mr. Cuong, the current difficulty is choosing a location for raw water intake. There are two options: taking water from the Sao River reservoir or taking water from the Hieu River in Thai Hoa town (more than 25 km away). This is the reason why the project has not been completed after many years.
It is clear that the delay in constructing the water treatment plant in Nghia Dan district is a problem that needs to be resolved definitively, especially in the context of the increasingly urgent need for clean water. This prolonged situation not only affects daily life but also poses potential health risks to residents due to the use of water that does not meet safety standards.