The common desire of the people in Thanh Tung hamlet is to soon have a stable source of clean water for their use.
For generations, people in rural Ca Mau have relied on drilled wells to maintain their water supply. However, in the "acidic soil heartland" of Bien Bach, the harsh geological conditions make freshwater a distant dream. When the rainy season ends, the water stored in jars runs dry, forcing people to buy water by the cubic meter at high prices.
Ms. Bui Thi Ven, residing in Thanh Tung hamlet, sadly recounted her more than 40 years of living in this area without ever having access to clean water. “Since childhood, I’ve bathed in pond water. When the economy improved, people bought tap water for drinking and cooking. Because of these difficulties, when we heard about the clean water supply project, everyone was happy. Seeing the pipes running across my house last year, I registered to have them connected and even had a meter installed, but this dry season, we haven’t had a single drop of water. People are still reluctantly paying over 40,000 dong just for a bucket of water for daily use, while the water pipes run right in front of our houses. It’s very disheartening.”
Sharing the same predicament, Ms. Vo Thi Tho said: “My family has to spend 90,000 VND to fill our 3,000-liter water tank. Even with careful saving, it only lasts about a week. The worry isn't just about the expense, but also the inconvenience, because the water boat doesn't always arrive immediately when we call; sometimes we have to wait 2-3 days in a water shortage.”
The lack of clean water is not just a matter of inconvenience, but also directly impacts the health of future generations. Ms. Tran Bich Thanh, a local resident, expressed her concern about her children frequently suffering from itchy skin due to bathing in pond water. “When we have to buy water, everyone tries to save money. Even after bathing in pond water and then rinsing with tap water, the children still get itchy skin; it's heartbreaking. Last year, provincial leaders provided rainwater storage tanks for drinking, which eased the difficulties, but essential daily needs remain an unresolved problem. Although the water pipes have been installed near our house for a year now, we still haven't received a single drop of water,” Ms. Thanh stated.
In Bien Bach commune, more than 100 households lack access to clean water. While most households have access to clean water, the supply is often overloaded, forcing residents to collect water late at night, which may not even be enough for daily use, causing significant inconvenience. In particular, 40 households in Thanh Tung hamlet have water pipes but still lack access to clean water.
Mr. Le Van Vai, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Bien Bach commune, acknowledged the above situation and stated: "Before the dry season arrived, the commune compiled statistics and submitted a report to the clean water center to address the water shortage for the people. Currently, it is the peak of the dry season, so the water shortage is even more severe. The people's wish is always to have a stable water source for use. We request that all levels and sectors pay more attention and promptly find solutions to supply water to the people in the area, especially for households that have already had pipelines installed to their homes."
According to the Center for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation of Ca Mau province, the weak water pressure in Bien Bach commune is due to the pipelines having to be extended too far, in some places tens of kilometers, resulting in insufficient water pressure. To remedy this, the unit is planning to coordinate with the Center for Clean Water of An Giang province to support water supply to the bordering area. At the same time, they are proposing a plan to definitively address the leakage and cloudy water issues at centralized water supply stations to ensure the legitimate rights of the local people.
Text and photos: HIEU NGHIA
Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/mua-khat-o-bien-bach-a201116.html
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