Thirsty at the foot of Thach Dong mountain.

Due to a shortage of fresh water, Mr. Chia Van Hanh has to buy pond water for daily use. Photo: DANH THANH

In the area behind the mountain, Mr. Chia Van Hanh maintains the habit of pushing a cart to buy water every day. The newly opened road has made travel more convenient, but it has also meant that the area has not yet had time to invest in a domestic water supply system. Therefore, during the dry season of 2026, his family and many surrounding households had to find water by pushing carts to buy pond water, which they then filtered and used for drinking, cooking, and bathing. Mr. Hanh bought 12 cans of water in one cart, each can holding about 30 liters. This amount of water lasts his family about 3 days. “Every month, my family spends about 100,000 VND on water. We have to filter the pond water before we can use it. I hope to have access to clean water soon so that the dry season will be less difficult,” Mr. Hanh said.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong, who lives outside Thach Dong, her family used to struggle with a shortage of fresh water, especially during the dry season. They had to wait patiently to collect water, and if they were late, there was none left. Drinking water had to be exchanged for bottles, each costing 12,000 VND. "During the dry season, I and the people around the foot of Thach Dong mountain share the same worry about the lack of water for use," Ms. Phuong said.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Lam, Director of the Ha Tien Water Supply Branch, localized water shortages have occurred in the My Duc area during the dry season in previous years. Since then, the unit has invested in many water supply pipelines, increasing the capacity to serve more than 14,200 households. Currently, Ha Tien has two freshwater reservoirs with a total capacity of approximately 1 million m³. Every day, the water supply system processes and supplies 12,000 - 17,000 m³ of clean water, meeting the needs of residents and tourism activities. However, 14 households in the area behind Thach Dong still do not have access to clean water. “We are coordinating with the local authorities to calculate how to extend the pipeline to this area so that people can have access to clean water soon. At the same time, we are preparing to invest in an additional water filtration system with a capacity of about 6,000 m³/day; the application has been submitted and is awaiting approval,” Mr. Lam informed.

In Ha Tien ward, some areas still lack access to clean water, including neighborhood V - Dong Ho, with approximately 120 households. During the dry season, residents have to use boats to travel to public water supply points in Dong Ho lagoon to fetch water for use. Households living behind the Thach Dong area also lack clean water because the newly opened road has not yet been equipped with a water supply pipeline system.

According to Mr. Tran Hai Quoc, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ha Tien Ward, the previous shortage of fresh water only occurred in remote areas. Now, thanks to proactive connections, expansion of the system, and increased water supply capacity, the locality has basically ensured the needs of the people. "The locality will continue to coordinate with relevant agencies to review and invest in improving the water supply system, especially in areas still facing difficulties such as behind Thach Dong, so that people can soon stabilize their lives," Mr. Quoc said.

RENOWNED CITY

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/khat-nuoc-duoi-chan-nui-thach-dong-a484823.html