Officials at the opening of Hòa Liên Water Plant in Đà Nẵng City. — Photo courtesy of Quốc Vương

ĐÀ NẮNG — The central city has put into operation the long delayed Hòa Liên water plant.

The first stage took two years to complete and will supply 120,000 cubic metres each day for five key districts – Liên Chiểu, Sơn Trà, Thanh Khê, Hải Châu and Hòa Vang.

The city’s civil and engineering works management board said the water plant, which cost VNĐ1.17 trillion (US$50.87 million), would help increase the city’s water supply capacity for local residents and tourists.

Director of the board, Nguyễn Hữu Hinh said the demand for clean water would need more than 801,000 cubic metres per day in 2030, and the current capacity should be further improved to increase future supplies.

He said the 1.3ha plant was designed to increase its capacity to 240,000 cubic metres in the second investment phase.

The debut of the new water plant would help the city deal with a serious water shortage in summer due to high salinity in the Cầu Đỏ River – the main source of fresh water for the city’s clean water system.

Inside of the Hòa Liên Water Plant in Đà Nẵng. — Photo courtesy of Quốc Vương

Experts had warned that fresh water shortages in Đà Nẵng resulted from forest destruction, low rainfall and the operation of hydropower plants in the Vu Gia – Thu Bồn river system covering Quảng Nam and Đà Nẵng.

The city’s water system was designed to have its capacity increased from 400,000 cubic metres in 2022 to 800,000 cubic metres per day in 2030, according to the Đà Nẵng City’s Water Supply Company (Dawaco).

Đà Nẵng had been upgrading water plants – Cầu Đỏ, Khe Lạnh, Hòa Trung and three small plants in Sơn Trà District – to fill in the lack of water in the future. — VNS