A garlic field on the Lý Sơn Island. — VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Cường

QUẢNG NGÃI — The Quảng Ngãi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed investing in a rainwater collection system for Lý Sơn Island.

The system is expected to collect one million cubic metres of rainwater per year with a fund of VNĐ250 billion (US$10.6 million).

Võ Quốc Hùng, deputy director of the department, on Thursday said that the technical plan would be proposed to the Quảng Ngãi People’s Committee in the next few months.

Under the plan, of the one million cubic metres of water, 600,000cu.m will be used for agricultural work, and the remaining will be used for daily life and tourism activities on Lý Sơn Island.

The Lý Sơn Island district now has the Thới Lới water reservoir, two concentrated water supply works and 2,149 wells.

The Thới Lới reservoir was built in 2012 with a capacity of about 270,000cu.m.

In recent years, the Lý Sơn District has faced a serious shortage of fresh water.

The main reason is that groundwater on the island is over-exploited to grow onions and garlic.

The province’s statistics show that, with an area of only 10sq.m, the Lý Sơn Island district has a density of freshwater wells up to more than 210 wells per square kilometre.

These wells exploit nearly 22,000cu.m per day, mainly in the dry season, leading to freshwater resources decrease and saltwater intrusion.

It is estimated that the total amount of rainwater on the island is about nine million cubic metres per year.

If subtracting the amount of water infiltrating into the ground and evaporating, the remaining of about three million cubic metres will pour into the sea.

The proposed project will collect one-third of the rainwater, which will pour into the sea, equivalent to about one million cubic metres per year.

This is a feasible and less expensive option for the State and the people than the option of turning seawater into fresh water. — VNS