Find ways to expand surface water resources.

The Provincial People's Committee is developing a plan to protect and expand surface water resources for clean water supply until 2025, with a vision to 2030. This plan includes options, tasks, and solutions to ensure water resources for the sustainable development of the province.

The Dong Nai River, the river with the largest water volume in the province. Photo: B. Mai

This plan will be finalized and submitted to the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee for consideration as a basis for implementation in the near future.

* Abundant reserves, good quality

According to the provincial People's Committee's report on the current status of surface water resources, Dong Nai has a large water reserve of approximately 26 billion ^cubic meters. This water comes from the river system and irrigation works.

The largest source of water is surface water from the Dong Nai River system. Currently, Dong Nai Water Supply Joint Stock Company and its subsidiaries and affiliated companies, as well as Viet Thang Long Limited Company, are exploiting, treating, and supplying clean water to most urban areas, industrial zones, and some rural areas of the province. In addition, several companies supplying clean water to Ho Chi Minh City also have water treatment plants exploiting river water in the province.

The second largest source of surface water is the system of 18 reservoirs and dams. Currently, Dong Nai Irrigation Works Exploitation Company Limited extracts raw water to supply water treatment plants, and some licensed enterprises directly extract water to supply clean water to rural areas, and partly to industrial and urban areas.

The water source from the Tri An hydroelectric reservoir is currently exploited and supplied by Gia Tan Water Supply Joint Stock Company to urban areas, industrial zones, and rural areas in the districts of Thong Nhat, Dinh Quan, Cam My, and Long Khanh City.

According to Mr. Huynh Tan Loc, Deputy Director of the Department of Construction, the investigation and assessment results show that Dong Nai province has abundant surface water reserves. The extraction capacity for clean water supply accounts for a very small percentage of the available resources. Therefore, the surface water reserves for socio-economic development are not a cause for concern.

In terms of quality, in recent years the province has invested in a monitoring network and many projects to prevent and control environmental pollution, so water quality has improved over the years.

According to Mr. Tran Trong Toan, Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, in 2022, authorities conducted monitoring at 166 locations in rivers, streams, and lakes throughout the province. The results showed that surface water quality was quite good, and some previously polluted areas had improved. This demonstrates that pollution prevention and control activities have yielded positive results.

Due to abundant water resources and increasingly improved water quality, in recent years the province has pursued a policy of reducing, and eventually ceasing, groundwater extraction in areas where surface water can be developed. This solution effectively utilizes surface water resources while reducing depletion and degradation of groundwater resources.

* Expanding surface water resources

Despite being considered to have abundant surface water resources, in the face of unpredictable natural disasters and climate change, the Provincial People's Committee has developed many programs and plans to protect water resources. These include the Clean Water Supply Project for the period 2021-2025, the List of Areas Restricted for Groundwater Exploitation, the List and Scope of Water Source Protection Corridors in Dong Nai Province, and the Plan for Protecting and Expanding Surface Water Resources for Clean Water Supply until 2025, with a vision to 2030.

Dong Nai province has 18 rivers, 55 streams, and 18 reservoirs with a water storage capacity of approximately 26 billion ^m³ . It is projected that between now and 2035, the province will invest in an additional 10 reservoirs with a capacity of approximately 46 million ^m³ .

In this plan, the province has set the task of investing in the construction of 10 irrigation reservoirs to serve agricultural production and provide water for domestic use, with a capacity of approximately 46 million m³, at a cost of over 3 trillion VND from the budget and socialized sources. Along with this, the plan ^includes reviewing and carrying out dredging and renovation of several lakes and dams to increase water storage capacity. Recently, the Provincial People's Committee proposed to the Government to allow the establishment of a research project on dredging lakes.
Tri An.

Along with that are solutions to protect water quality. Specifically, industrial, livestock, commercial, service, and residential development projects should not be planned near water sources. Environmental hotspots such as mineral exploitation and landfills should be thoroughly addressed. Livestock and production facilities that pose a risk of water pollution should be relocated. Strict control of waste sources, especially wastewater discharge into water sources, is essential.

According to Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Vo Van Phi, the ultimate goal of this plan is to ensure clean water for all citizens and for the socio-economic development activities of the province. It also aims to store water resources to proactively respond to natural disasters and climate change, reduce water degradation and depletion, and gradually restore ecosystems.

Speaking at a recent conference summarizing 10 years of implementing the Resolution on proactively responding to climate change, strengthening resource management and environmental protection, Central Committee member and Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Hong Linh emphasized that water is a particularly important resource for development, and in the future, regions that ensure water security will have an advantage.

The Provincial Party Secretary requested that the Party Committee of the Provincial People's Committee promptly finalize and submit to the Standing Committee the plan for protecting and expanding the province's water resources. This plan must be integrated into the provincial and local planning; it must outline the tasks, solutions, and responsibilities of each department, agency, and Party committee in preserving clean water resources for the future.

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