Commune residents face shortage of clean water

CAN THO (VNS)— More than half of families living in a commune in Can Tho city do not have access to clean water.

The city water supply system and two small treatment plants in nearby communes can serve the needs of only 900 families in Tan Thanh, according to Luong Duy Khanh, the commune chairman.

Others have to draw water from nearby canals or store rainwater, he said.

Both have their drawbacks. Residents in the commune complain that the canal water is heavily polluted by daily waste and pesticides used by farmers.

Collecting rainwater in large pots serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes, threatening the spread of several diseases.

Locals have petitioned authorities to connect pipelines to their houses, but have been refused.

Tien Minh Khoa, a commune resident, said he even offered to pay for the connection.

"They refused, saying there are not many houses in the alley where my house is located, so they cannot make profits," he said.

Tran Van Moi, secretary of the commune Party committee, said plans to build six pumping stations and a small treatment plant have been approved by district authorities.

Each station would be able to supply 80 litres of water per resident daily, he said, but did not say when they would be built. — VNS