Large investment, low return.

In 2023, over 74 billion VND was invested in two clean water projects for Thanh Son commune, a mountainous area in Ba Che district ( Quang Ninh province). However, to date, one project has only supplied a small amount of water to a few households, and the other project has repeatedly broken down before it could even supply water.

The water treatment plant in Khe Long Ngoai village, Thanh Son commune (with a total investment of over 60 billion VND). Photo: Nguyen Quy.

In late February 2025, we visited Thanh Son commune, Ba Che district (Quang Ninh province). This mountainous commune has changed significantly, with new, well-maintained roads, and the local people now have the conditions to develop agriculture and forestry towards commodity production.

However, when asked about their water supply, most households in Thanh Son sadly shook their heads. Despite having two water supply projects in the commune with a total investment of over 74 billion VND, the majority of residents still have to use water piped from streams and springs for their daily needs.

Thanh Cong village is one of two villages (including Khe Long Ngoai and Thanh Cong) that benefit from the clean water supply project in Thanh Son commune. However, since the project was put into operation (October 2023), only a few households in Loong Toong hamlet have had access to water. Households from the other side of Loong Toong slope to Thac Lao hamlet have not received any clean water from the project.

Pointing towards the slope ahead, Mr. Chìu A Sám (Loỏng Toỏng hamlet, Thành Công village) said: "Water from the project only flows up to this slope, but it's still not enough for all the people in Loỏng Toỏng. If there wasn't a water source piped from the stream, the households certainly wouldn't have enough water for daily life."

Mr. Chìu A Tài (Thác Lào hamlet, Thành Công village) also said: "About 3-4 years ago, there was a gravity-fed water pipeline invested by the government, but after only a few days, the water stopped flowing. As for the commune's clean water project, I haven't seen it yet. The households here pooled money to buy pipes to bring water from the stream, and at times, the stream even dried up, so we had to go down to the main stream to fetch water for use."

The Khe Na water pipeline is broken but has not yet been repaired. Photo: Nguyen Quy.

While many residents in Thanh Cong village are unaware of the clean water project they are supposed to benefit from, in Khe Na and Khe Put villages (Thanh Son commune), everyone knows about it. They know because the project's various components, from reservoirs and water treatment plants to pipeline and meter installation, are being carried out extensively. However, what they most eagerly await – water from the project – is still unavailable. All 120 households in these two villages still rely on water from streams and springs.

Leading us to the pipeline construction site and the Khe Na water treatment plant, Mr. Trieu Quy Long, Deputy Head of Khe Na village, said: "I don't know how it was designed, but here they just laid the pipeline along the stream. Just one season when the Ba Che River overflows, this pipeline is already damaged. In fact, even from the beginning of the construction, the villagers had concerns, but they still proceeded with it this way."

At the Thanh Son Commune People's Committee headquarters, Mr. Nguyen Van Canh, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, stated: Through voter outreach sessions, the district and commune have noted the opinions of voters in Khe Na and Khe Put villages regarding the investment project worth over 14 billion VND, which has not brought any benefits to the people. The reason is that floods and road construction work have damaged many sections of the water pipes.

According to Mr. Canh, the clean water project for the two villages of Khe Na and Khe Put has been handed over to the commune and is still under warranty. The commune has also established operating regulations. After the incident, at the end of 2024, the commune was assigned as the investor to carry out repairs to the water pipes damaged by storms and floods. Currently, water has reached the treatment plant, but it cannot yet reach households because the construction unit that damaged the water pipes has not yet completed the repairs.

Regarding the water supply project in Thanh Son commune, the commune leaders stated that the project has a total budget of over 60 billion VND, funded by the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Industry Group and the local budget. It serves two purposes (irrigation and domestic use) for two villages: Khe Long Ngoai and Thanh Cong. However, to date, water has only reached Loong Toong hamlet and has not yet reached Thac Lao hamlet.

As a disadvantaged mountainous district with over 80% ethnic minority population, Ba Chẽ has received significant investment in clean water and centralized water supply projects over the years, totaling hundreds of billions of dong. In just one commune, Thanh Sơn, the two most recent projects have received over 74 billion dong in investment, but the effectiveness of these projects is considered very low by both the local people and commune leaders.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/du-an-nuoc-sach-cho-xa-vung-cao-tinh-quang-ninh-dau-tu-lon-hieu-qua-thap-10300863.html