The Mường Lát District Clean Water Plant project is a long-awaited aspiration of the local people.
Progress is sluggish...
According to our findings, the Muong Lat District Clean Water Plant Project was approved by Decision No. 258/QD-UBND dated January 16, 2023; subsequently adjusted by Decision No. 3034/QD-UBND dated July 19, 2024 of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, with a total investment of over 33.3 billion VND; and a designed capacity of 1,200 m3/day. Initially planned, the project was to be implemented in the 2022-2024 period, then extended to 2025. However, to date, the project has not been completed according to the planned schedule.
Observations at the construction site show that some items have achieved high completion rates, such as: the transfer pumping station and site leveling are 100% complete; the clean water reservoir is over 96% complete; and the wastewater treatment plant is nearly 94% complete. However, key items such as the intake structure and the primary pumping station are behind schedule; the electrical system, equipment, and integrated treatment system are not yet complete. Notably, the items with high completion rates are mainly auxiliary components, while those crucial to operational capability are experiencing prolonged delays. Overall, according to the report, the project's progress has only reached approximately 36% of the contract value.
This project is directly related to the lives of people in the border region. In many villages and hamlets of Muong Lat commune, daily water supply still depends on streams, naturally flowing water, and drilled wells, posing a potential risk to hygiene and safety, especially during the rainy season. Ms. Lo Thi Phen, from Buon village, Muong Lat commune, shared: “My family uses water piped from the stream; it's murky in the rainy season and dry in the dry season. When we heard about the clean water plant project, everyone hoped and expected to be able to use it soon.” Not only the people, but also agencies and units located in the border commune face many difficulties due to the lack of clean water, especially during the hot season. Mr. Nguyen Nam Son, Principal of Muong Lat High School, said: The school's student village currently has 218 students living, studying, and living in the boarding facility. The availability of clean water has long been a constant concern for the school. According to Mr. Son, in the past, students mainly used stream water and rainwater, which posed many hygiene risks. In recent years, the school has received investment in a drilled well, which has basically overcome the water shortage during the dry season. However, to ensure a stable and long-term water supply, the teachers and students of the school are still very much hoping that the clean water plant project will be completed and put into operation.
Extend the deadline and address the "bottleneck".
According to the investor – the Thanh Hoa Provincial Transport Project Management Board – the delay stems from several reasons. These include objective factors such as the lengthy process of completing procedures. Although the project was approved in 2021, it wasn't officially approved until early 2023; the implementation process involved many steps and consultations with relevant departments and agencies.
During construction, the project also encountered unforeseen difficulties. At the water intake and primary pumping station section, excavation to a depth of approximately 3 meters revealed hard rock, different from the initial geological conditions, necessitating adjustments to the construction plan. Furthermore, unfavorable weather conditions, particularly prolonged rainfall in 2025, disrupted many underground construction items. Another bottleneck was the water supply pipeline passing through a residential area, impacting traffic safety corridors. The process of completing documentation and obtaining construction permits was delayed until December 2025, significantly affecting the overall progress.
However, besides objective factors, subjective causes were also pointed out by the investor, such as: the project management board at the local level was sometimes disorganized; the contractor was not truly proactive in mobilizing manpower and equipment; the construction organization did not meet the required progress schedule. The supervisory consulting unit also did not fully fulfill its role, failing to provide timely reminders and warnings, and not proposing effective technical solutions to handle arising issues...
In light of this situation, on April 2, 2026, the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee sent Document No. 855/BQLDA-KTTĐ to the Provincial People's Committee, proposing an adjustment to the implementation time of the Muong Lat District Clean Water Plant Project. Accordingly, the project's progress is proposed to be extended from the 2022-2025 period to completion in 2026. According to the construction unit's representative, the contractor is reviewing the entire construction plan and is committed to maximizing manpower and equipment to accelerate the progress of the project components. This includes taking advantage of favorable weather conditions to prioritize the completion of the water intake and primary pumping station; completing the electrical system, equipment, and conducting synchronized testing and other items...
The Mường Lát District Clean Water Plant project is not simply a construction investment, but a solution to essential social welfare issues in the border region. To ensure the project's progress, it is crucial to tighten accountability among all stakeholders. The investor needs to intensify on-site inspections and closely monitor progress at each stage; contractors must make specific commitments regarding the progress of each item, with clear penalties. Construction needs to be accelerated, maximizing resources and taking advantage of favorable weather conditions before the 2026 rainy season.
Text and photos: Dinh Giang
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/nguoi-dan-vung-bien-mong-moi-du-an-nha-may-nuoc-sach-286966.htm
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