Dong Nai targets clean water access for 92% of urban residents

The Resolution adopted at the first Congress of the Dong Nai Party Committee for the 2025–2030 term sets a target of providing clean water to 92 percent of the urban population by 2030. The goal is also incorporated into the city's Urban Clean Water Supply Plan for 2026–2030, issued by the Dong Nai City People's Committee in mid-June 2026.

Clean water is not only an essential necessity of daily life but also an important indicator of urban development quality and residents’ quality of life.

Expanding the clean water network

Over the past several years, the proportion of residents with access to clean water in Dong Nai has steadily increased. During the 2021–2025 period, water suppliers invested in the construction, upgrading and expansion of water supply networks, raising the rate of urban residents using clean water from 86 percent in 2021 to 94 percent in 2025 in the Southern part of Dong Nai, and from 53 percent to 77 percent during the same period in the northern area. Despite these improvements, water supply infrastructure in some outlying and remote communities, as well as in rapidly urbanizing zones, has yet to keep pace with growing demand.

Employees of Dong Nai Water Supply Joint Stock Company (Dowaco) adjust chemical dosing systems at the Thien Tan Water Plant in Tan Trieu ward.

Recognizing these challenges, the first Congress of the Dong Nai Party Committee for the 2025–2030 term included the urban clean water access rate as one of its mandatory development targets. To translate the resolution into action, the City People's Committee has issued the Urban Clean Water Supply Plan for 2026–2030, which aims to expand service coverage to all residential areas with demand for clean water and ensure that 92 percent of the urban population has access to clean water by 2030. The plan also outlines several key solutions, including increasing the capacity of water treatment plants, constructing transmission pipelines and expanding distribution networks throughout the city.

According to Tran Van Nguyen, Director of Dowaco, the company and its affiliated units currently operate several water treatment plants with a combined design capacity of more than 496,000 cubic meters per day and night, while actual production averages about 430,500 cubic meters daily, while actual output stands at approximately 430,500 cubic meters per day and night. The water supply network managed by Dowaco includes about 353 kilometers of transmission pipelines and more than 2,800 kilometers of distribution pipelines. Coverage along major roads within its service areas has reached approximately 80 percent.

In support of the city's development goals, Dowaco plans to invest around VND4.5 trillion during the 2026–2030 period in projects aimed at increasing water sources, expanding plant capacity, and upgrading and extending the distribution network. These projects are intended to ensure a reliable supply of clean water for both residents’ daily use and production and business activities.

Meanwhile, Gia Tan Water Supply JSC currently operates a water treatment plant with a capacity of 40,000 cubic meters per day and night, supplying clean water to nearly 31,000 customers. The company aims to expand its customer base to around 32,000 households and businesses in 2026.

To meet rising demand, the company is expanding its primary pumping station and water conveyance canal while investing in two additional raw-water pipelines connecting Tri An Reservoir to its treatment facilities. In the near future, Gia Tan plans to increase plant capacity to nearly 100,000 cubic meters per day and night and eventually to 300,000 cubic meters per day and night to support the city’s urban and socio-economic development.

Ensuring sufficient and high-quality water supplies

According to the Department of Construction, Dong Nai currently has more than 20 water supply providers. Major urban water suppliers include Dowaco, Gia Tan Water Supply, Ho Cau Moi Water Supply and Binh Phuoc Water Supply and Drainage Company. The department noted that existing urban water systems generally meet current requirements in terms of capacity, pressure, flow volume and water quality for both residents’ daily use and business operations.

Under the city’s development plans, water suppliers will continue expanding networks to industrial parks, industrial clusters, livestock farming areas and residential communities that still lack access to clean water. At the same time, water companies will further simplify connection procedures, making it easier for residents and businesses to access clean water services. They will also strengthen post-treatment quality control to ensure that supplied water meets all applicable standards and technical regulations.

Nguyen Van Hung, a resident of An Phuoc commune, said his family previously relied on groundwater from drilled wells. In recent years, however, water quality has deteriorated, forcing his family to invest in costly filtration systems while still worrying about potential health risks. For that reason, he hopes piped water projects will soon be extended to his residential area.

According to the city’s plan, several water plants will undergo capacity upgrades in the coming years. The Thien Tan Water Plant will increase capacity from 100,000 to 200,000 cubic meters per day and night, Gia Tan Water Plant from 40,000 to 99,500 cubic meters per day and night, and Hoa An Water Plant from 20,000 to 30,000 cubic meters per day and night. In addition, Phase 2 of the Nhon Trach Water Supply System, with a planned capacity of 100,000 cubic meters per day and night, will also be developed.

Nguyen Thi Lan, a resident of Tam Phuoc ward, said her family has benefited from centralized clean water services for more than two years, helping improve their living conditions and protect her family members’ health. She welcomed the city’s continued investment in expanding the water supply network, saying it not only improves residents’ quality of life but also helps reduce groundwater extraction.

According to Ho Van Ha, Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai City People’s Committee, providing clean water is not simply a matter of installing more pipelines or increasing treatment capacity. It requires building a safe, integrated and sustainable water supply system capable of meeting both current and future demand. The city’s guiding principle is wherever there are residents, there must be clean water. Therefore, in addition to investing in infrastructure, local authorities and water suppliers must regularly assess actual demand, proactively expand service networks and encourage residents to register for clean water services. This is also an important part of Dong Nai’s journey toward becoming a modern and livable city.

By H Loc – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha