Removing bottlenecks in the management and operation of clean water facilities.

Regular inspections and maintenance of rural water supply facilities are carried out to ensure their efficient operation.

Recently, the Vietnam Agriculture Newspaper published an article titled "Rural Clean Water Supply: A Tangled Mess!" which discussed the current state of rural clean water supply at facilities managed by the Tuyen Quang Clean Water Center. The article highlighted the difficulties and obstacles in management and operation, essentially reflecting the current reality.

However, the headline "Tangled in a ball of yarn" used in the article is misleading and subjective because it doesn't fully reflect the reality of rural clean water supply throughout the province. Besides the existing difficulties, efforts to resolve the remaining bottlenecks are currently being implemented effectively.

Upon taking over the management, operation, and exploitation of the facilities, the Center advised the Provincial People's Committee to utilize funds from the Results-Based Rural Sanitation and Water Supply Expansion Program and loans from the World Bank (WB) to renovate, upgrade, and repair 29 facilities, increasing the number of sustainably operating facilities to 29, a rise of 12 facilities compared to the period before taking over.

Simultaneously, the Center is liquidating assets for 11 inactive facilities that are no longer viable for renovation or repair, in accordance with Decision No. 105/QD-UBND dated April 3, 2024, of the Provincial People's Committee. As of September 30, 2024, the Center is managing and operating 82 facilities (sustainably operating: 29; relatively sustainably operating: 6; poorly sustainably operating: 39; inactive: 8).

Overcoming difficulties to provide clean water for the people.

For projects operating inefficiently, the Center has planned to propose to the competent authorities the allocation of funds for renovation and repair investments, expected in the period 2026-2030, and reported this to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for compilation. The Department has sent Document No. 1994/SNN-KH to the Department of Planning and Investment to propose its inclusion in the public investment portfolio for the period 2026-2030.

For facilities that are not operational and cannot be renovated or repaired, and where the people already have other water sources, the Department is continuing to finalize the dossiers and procedures to report to the Provincial People's Committee for consideration and approval of liquidation according to regulations.

The financial deficit resulting from insufficient revenue to cover expenses, including annual advances, has led to significant difficulties for the Center in managing and operating rural domestic water supply facilities in recent years.

Currently, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue plans on improving the efficiency of investment, management, use, and exploitation of centralized rural domestic water supply facilities in the province; a plan on ensuring safe water supply in rural areas of Tuyen Quang province for the period 2021-2025; and a plan on implementing the National Strategy on clean water supply and rural sanitation in Tuyen Quang province until 2030, with a vision to 2045.

Regarding investment in the renovation and repair of projects approved by the Tuyen Quang Provincial People's Council in Resolution No. 42/NQ-HĐND dated October 8, 2024, on the Medium-Term Public Investment Plan using State Budget Funds for the period 2026-2030, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will direct the Center to annually propose funding for implementation in the coming period.

Regarding support for subsidizing clean water prices, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development issued document No. 1670/SNN-TL dated August 1, 2024, addressing the request from the Clean Water Center to the Provincial People's Committee. This document reported on the difficulties and obstacles encountered and requested the Provincial People's Committee to direct the Department of Finance to urgently appraise and submit to the Provincial People's Committee for approval the financial support for clean water prices in 2021 and 2022 as requested by the Center.

In the coming period, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will continue to advise on matters within its state management functions regarding centralized rural clean water supply, promptly identifying difficulties and obstacles to propose to the Provincial People's Committee for direction and implementation to ensure effectiveness and suitability to the local situation.

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/go-nut-that-trong-quan-ly-van-hanh-cong-trinh-nuoc-sach-201102.html