Dong Nai continues expanding clean water supply network

Dong Nai has abundant surface water resources and many enterprises investing in the water supply sector, which basically meets the needs of people in central urban areas. However, in rural areas, especially in the northern region, the percentage of households using tap water is still low, not commensurate with the province's potential and sustainable development goals.

Thien Tan Water Plant of Dong Nai Water Supply Joint Stock Company, the enterprise that is supplying more than 85% of clean water to the southern part of the province. Photo: Hoang Loc

Therefore, continuing to expand the tap water supply network, investing in new facilities, and upgrading rural infrastructure are solutions to increase the percentage of people using clean water and reduce groundwater exploitation.

Abundant resources

According to the Department of Construction shows that there are currently 19 units participating in supplying clean water to serve people and production activities in the province. To date, the existing water supply system ensures flow, pressure, and well meets the needs of central urban areas. However, in small urban areas and rural areas, access to and quality of water supply services are still limited.

Specifically, regarding infrastructure, in central urban areas in the South, there is a fairly complete water supply network; Dong Nai Water Supply Joint Stock Company and its member units are responsible for more than 85% of the water supplied to the area, with a total designed capacity of more than 508,000 m³ per day and night. In the North, although there are 10 urban water supply plants along with industrial park water supply stations, the total capacity is only about 85,000 m³ per day and night, and these systems basically only meet the needs of some wards and industrial production.

In rural areas, the entire province currently has 130 centralized water supply facilities, mostly exploiting groundwater. Although the total designed capacity reaches about 67,000 m³ per day and night, the actual exploitation capacity is only about 48%. For tap water supply to rural areas, the percentage of the new users is only about 6%. This result shows that the rural water supply system is still small, fragmented, inefficient in operation, and lacks sustainability, especially in the northern part of the province.

Regarding water sources, the province possesses a rich water source system, in which surface water plays a dominant role. Dong Nai River, Tri An Lake, and irrigation lakes such as Gia Ui, Nui Le, Song May, Cau Moi, Da Ton, Suoi Ca, Phuoc Thai... are important water sources for domestic water supply, industrial and agricultural production. In addition, Thac Mo, Can Don, Srok Phu Mieng lakes and Phuoc Hoa irrigation lake play a role in regulating water sources, supplying water to large production areas. Dau Tieng Lake has also been approved for raw water exploitation to serve the development of domestic water supply projects and high-tech agricultural irrigation in the coming time.

In addition to surface water, groundwater is also being exploited in some rural areas where there is no tap water supply system. This exploitation is being tightened and gradually reduced by the province to limit the risk of declining water levels, pollution, and land subsidence. The general orientation of the province is to prioritize surface water exploitation, limit dependence on groundwater to ensure sustainable development.

According to the assessment of the Department of Construction, although the province's domestic water resources are quite abundant, the level of exploitation and the efficiency of water supply between urban and rural areas are still disparate. This raises the requirement to continue investing in expanding the tap water supply system, strengthening connections between areas, and improving operational capacity to ensure safe, stable, and sustainable water supply for people throughout the province.

Developing tap water for rural areas

Ensuring clean water for people is a common task of all levels of government and businesses. In the provincial planning, the goal is to synchronously invest in and expand the clean water supply network, ensuring that all people have access to safe water.

Resolution of the 1st Provincial Party Congress, term 2025-2030, sets the target that by 2030, the percentage of urban population supplied with clean water through the centralized water supply system will reach 92%, and the percentage of rural population using clean water meeting standards will amount to 85%.

Provincial Party Committee member and Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Hoang stated: In the immediate future, the province prioritizes exploiting surface water sources and gradually reducing groundwater exploitation. Businesses need to focus on increasing exploitation capacity from rivers and lakes to ensure water supply safety, especially during climate change and prolonged dry seasons. It is also necessary to accelerate investment in completing the urban water supply network, particularly in small urban areas, new industrial zones, and suburban areas. Concurrently, businesses need to upgrade transmission and distribution pipelines to reduce clean water loss and ensure stable pressure for residents. Expand the connection network to enhance water supply capability in all situations.

For rural areas, the province aims to increase the percentage of households using water that meets standards. Accordingly, the province will review and upgrade rural water supply stations in areas without piped water infrastructure, prioritizing the construction of centralized water supply facilities using surface water sources. Local authorities are tasked with promoting communication and encouraging residents to use tap water instead of well water to reduce pressure on groundwater exploitation.

Tran Van Nguyen, Director of Dong Nai Water Supply Joint Stock Company, said: This year, the company plans to allocate approximately 428 billion VND for clean water infrastructure. The company will implement projects related to water sources, increase plant capacity, and expand the network to ensure full and safe water supply for daily life and production. In addition, the company will renovate pipelines and apply technology in operation to prevent loss, efficiently exploit existing water sources and networks, and improve customer service quality.

Pham Thi Loan, Deputy General Director of Binh Phuoc Water Supply and Sewerage Joint Stock Company, said: The unit currently manages 2 clean water plants in Dong Xoai (30,000 m³ per day and night) and Phuoc Long (10,000 m³ per day and night), meeting the needs of some central wards in the northern area and surrounding rural areas. In 2025, the unit received requests for water supply from 5 communes and it has submitted a proposal to the Provincial People's Committee for approval to survey and plan investment for network expansion.

Also according to Loan, investing in water supply for rural communes faces many difficulties due to low demand but high investment capital, along with the situation where one locality has 2-3 water supply units operating. The company has proposed that the Provincial People's Committee soon provide guidance on water supply zoning to facilitate investment planning. In addition, the company also proposed to increase the capacity of the Dong Xoai Plant from 30,000 to 38,000-40,000 m³ per day and night to expand its service capacity for residents.

By Hoang Loc – Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha