The pipelines are in place, yet people are still waiting anxiously for clean water.
Access to clean drinking water is one of the essential needs of urban residents. However, according to feedback from many households in the former Nghi Duc ward and Nghi An commune (now Vinh Phu ward), many residential areas there still do not have access to piped water.
Long-standing problems stem from the lack of synchronized infrastructure.
Right in the corner of his yard, Mr. Nguyen Van Dong, from Xuan Hoa block, Vinh Phu ward, has to dedicate a separate space to operate his four-stage water filtration system. Groundwater from the well is pumped into a storage tank. Then, it undergoes two consecutive treatment processes using different filtration devices before it can be used. Over the decades, Mr. Dong can't remember how many times he's had to replace or upgrade the filtration equipment. Although he knows full well that the groundwater is not safe, he has no other choice. Ironically, the clean water supply pipeline has been installed and located right in front of his house for many years. This is also the common situation for thousands of households in Vinh Phu ward today.
Vinh Phu ward was formed by merging four former administrative units: Ha Huy Tap ward, Nghi Phu ward, Nghi Duc ward, and Nghi An commune. The issue of clean water in the former Nghi Duc ward and Nghi An commune has consistently been a hot topic at meetings of the People's Councils at all levels.
In the former Nghi Duc ward, although the water supply infrastructure with 50 connection points was basically completed in 2023, due to a lack of coordination and handover between the previous ward government and the City's Investment and Construction Project Management Board, only 3 points have been put into operation to date, serving approximately 300 households. The pipeline network at the remaining 47 locations is still in a state of disuse. The consequences of this delay not only put the infrastructure at risk of deterioration and damage, but also leave thousands of households waiting endlessly for clean water.
In the former Nghi An commune area, hundreds of households are once again facing a shortage of clean water due to planning restrictions. Currently, approximately 240 hectares of land here fall within the planned boundary of runway number 2 of Vinh International Airport. According to regulations, no new infrastructure projects can be built within the planned area, preventing residents from accessing piped water. To obtain water for daily use, they are forced to use well water and filter it through rudimentary, makeshift filtration tanks.
More concerningly, due to its nature as a flower and ornamental plant village, production activities here frequently use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which accumulate over time and seep deep into the groundwater. Therefore, using this water source poses a direct risk to public health in the long term. Given this situation, residents express their desire for authorities to promptly find a solution and allow temporary connection to the existing pipeline system, located only about 30-40 meters from their homes, to address their essential need for clean water.
Efforts to bring clean water to market by 2027
According to the Vinh Phu Ward People's Committee, the situation is historical. Immediately after the establishment of the two-tiered local government system, the Ward People's Committee worked directly with the Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company to agree on a solution. At the same time, they urgently implemented several groups of solutions.
Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, Deputy Head of the Economic, Infrastructure and Urban Planning Department, said that the ward has coordinated with Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company to complete a review of the entire current status of the primary, secondary, and tertiary water supply pipeline network in the former Nghi Duc ward to assess and locate sections that are congested, damaged, or not yet ready for operation. At the same time, they have completed the field survey for the installation of a new pipeline to serve residential areas within the planned runway number 2 in Nghi An. Based on preliminary cost estimates provided by Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company, the ward will propose including the project in the medium-term public investment plan for the period 2026-2030. The construction plan and cost estimates for repair and new installation in both areas are expected to be finalized in June 2026. This serves as the basis for the Ward People's Committee to develop a plan for balancing and allocating funds appropriately, preparing documentation, and promptly putting the entire system into synchronized operation, definitively resolving the legitimate needs and aspirations of the people.
However, what the people most desire now is a more decisive implementation. According to Mr. Nguyen Van Ha, Deputy General Director of Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company, as soon as the project's legal documents and construction plan are available, the company will implement technical solutions. It is expected that the connection and supply of clean water to the people will be completed in 2027. The 2027 deadline is not far off. To ensure this goal is not missed, a rapid construction schedule and close supervision are required to bring clean water to households as soon as possible.