HÀ NỘI – Nearly 800 households in central Bình Định Province’s Ghềnh Ráng Commune have been living without clean water for years, with most residents using contaminated water from wells.

Although the commune is only some 2km away from the central city of Quy Nhơn, these households cannot access tap water because the water pressure in the city’s water pipelines is not strong enough to pass the Quy Hòa Pass to reach them.

Meanwhile, most wells in the area are contaminated with alum.

Nguyễn Thị Hồng Thanh, a resident of Ghềnh Ráng Commune, said the water had a yellow tinge and smelled horrible.

“I’ve filtered it before use, but it still has a yellowish colour. I’m worried about the health of my family,” she said.

Phan Văn Sơn, head of the local Fatherland Front Steering Committee, said the committee had reported the situation to the authorized agencies many times, but the problem remained unsolved.

Sơn said in dry seasons, the wells were dry, forcing local residents to buy clean water at high prices.

Võ Chí Thiện, chairman of the communal People’s Committee, said the province had planned to build a pressurised station to pump water from the city to these households in 2012. However, due to the high cost, amounting to some VNĐ18 billion (US$818,000), the city had asked the province to propose a solution to mobilise investment capital but had received no reply.

Reporters contacted Ngô Hoàng Nam, Chairman of the city’s People’s Committee, but Nam refused to comment. – VNS