Untangling the knots to bring clean water to Ai Tu commune.

QTO - For decades, the people of Ai Tu commune have faced a serious shortage of clean water due to severe pollution of natural water sources. This need has become even more urgent after the locality implemented the new administrative unit merger. To improve the rate of centralized water supply, in addition to the efforts of the government and businesses, the consensus and active participation of the people are essential.

The well water in Tra Lien Tay village is heavily contaminated with alum, making it unsuitable for daily use - Photo: Engineer

The water source is not hygienic.

Tra Lien Tay village is the most disadvantaged area in Ai Tu commune regarding access to clean water. The entire village, with 694 households, has been living without access to clean, standard-quality water for many years. Surveys by authorities show that residents rely entirely on self-dug and drilled wells for drinking and daily use. Due to the unique geological characteristics, the local groundwater is heavily contaminated with alum, organic impurities, and heavy metals exceeding permissible levels, making it unsafe for long-term use.

Mr. Bui Kham's family, who have lived in Tra Lien Tay village for over 30 years, regularly use well water contaminated with alum. Mr. Kham said: “The first well we dug had water with a thick, yellowish film on the surface, making it unusable. My family had to go to a plot of land more than 100 meters away from our house to drill another well, investing in a rudimentary three-compartment filter made of sand and gravel to get water for temporary use. We desperately need a source of clean water.”

Mr. Ho Viet Tuyen, Secretary of the Party Branch of Tra Lien Tay village, said: “Water pollution has been a persistent problem over many terms, increasing the risk of digestive, dermatological, and eye diseases for the people. Through propaganda, only 353 households in the entire village have voluntarily registered to use clean water, reaching 56.48%, which is not yet the minimum rate of 70% required for the investment in the pipeline system.”

Ai Tu commune was established by merging three communes: Trieu Ai, Trieu Giang, and Trieu Long. It currently manages 16 villages with 4,158 households and 19,061 inhabitants. The percentage of households with access to centralized clean water in the entire commune is very low, only reaching 3.9%, meaning that 3,996 households still do not have access to clean water from the centralized water supply system.

Mr. Bui Kham stands beside the manual filtration system his family invested in to temporarily treat the iron-contaminated water source for household use - Photo: Engineer

The infrastructure shortage is widespread and varies greatly between areas: The former Trieu Giang commune lacks a centralized water supply system; only 5 households in the former Trieu Long commune and 157 households in the former Trieu Ai commune have access to clean water. Due to the inconsistent network, the majority of people still rely on self-extracted water sources, posing significant risks of pollution.

Given this situation, at a meeting on April 3, 2026, the People's Committee of Ai Tu commune and Quang Tri Clean Water Joint Stock Company identified investing in water supply infrastructure as an urgent task to improve the quality of life for the people. This is also one of the important conditions for the locality to fulfill the environmental criteria in building new rural areas, and at the same time concretize the Resolution of the 1st Party Congress of Ai Tu commune, term 2025-2030.

Working together to bring clean water to every household.

One of the current challenges is mobilizing residents to contribute matching funds under the socialized funding scheme. According to this scheme, each household registering for clean water services will contribute 3 million VND to cover part of the cost of materials, labor for connection, and meter installation. However, some households still rely heavily on government support and have not agreed to sign contracts, affecting the project's progress.

Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ai Tu commune, Vo Sinh, said: “Most households still use well water contaminated with alum through rudimentary filtration tanks, which does not meet the standards for drinking water quality as prescribed. The Fatherland Front and other organizations are coordinating with the clean water company to strengthen propaganda and explain clearly the importance of clean water for health. People need to understand that this is a right linked to a responsibility, and at the same time, an important criterion for the locality to build an advanced new rural commune.”

Many households in Ai Tu commune still have to use water from drilled wells because they do not yet have access to a centralized clean water supply system - Photo: KS

Statistics on registration progress to date show a significant difference between areas: Phuong Ngan village reached 79.5%, Bich Khe village reached 78%, and Phu My Kien village reached 76.4%. Meanwhile, Luu Nghia village only reached 59.1% and Tra Lien Tay village reached 56.4%. Implementation in some areas is still slow due to the lack of decisiveness from the village management board; some households, despite having favorable conditions for connection, have not yet registered to participate.

To address these difficulties, Quang Tri Clean Water Joint Stock Company and the People's Committee of Ai Tu Commune have agreed on a specific action plan. From April to July 2026, inter-agency working groups will complete field surveys, prepare documentation, and hold meetings with residents to gather opinions. The goal is that from October to December 2026, the construction unit will focus its resources on completing the connection and supplying clean water to residential areas where the percentage of registered households reaches 70% or more.

To ensure the project's progress, Quang Tri Clean Water Joint Stock Company is committed to mobilizing capital, laying pipelines, and installing water meters right up to the land boundaries of each household, maintaining a stable water supply. On the local side, the Ai Tu Commune People's Committee has assigned a Vice Chairman to directly supervise the project, requiring villages to coordinate with the Fatherland Front and other organizations to persistently disseminate information and resolve any difficulties for the people. At the same time, the local government is committed to providing maximum support for land clearance, facilitating administrative procedures so that the construction unit can proceed on schedule and bring clean water to the people in the area as soon as possible.

Ko Kan Suong

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/xa-hoi/202606/gonut-that-de-duanuoc-sachvexa-ai-tu-52f771a/