HCM CITY — HCM City authorities are taking measures to ensure residents’ access to clean water during the dry season and upcoming Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday.

The State-owned Saigon Water Corporation (SAWACO), the city’s largest tap water supplier, said it would ensure a sufficient supply of clean water for the city’s residents during the period.

The demand for water during the dry season is expected to be especially high in districts with fast-paced urbanisation, such as districts 9, 12, Bình Tân, Nhà Bè, Hóc Môn and Bình Chánh.      

SAWACO has asked water companies in the city to work with the electricity sector to ensure smooth operations during the holiday and dry season.

The companies and government agencies will ensure water quality, especially at the Hoà Phú pumping station (at Tân Hiệp Water Company) and Hoá An pumping station (at Thủ Đức Water Company).  

The companies have been asked to monitor water contamination and saline intrusion, and control water volume at the sources to increase water pressure, especially in areas far from the sources.

In addition, the supply of water from stored tanks and mobile tanks like tank trucks must be ready at any time to ensure sufficient supply.

The companies have also been told to work with fire-fighting police to ensure there is sufficient supply of water in case of fire.

Water supply staff will be available 24/7 during the holiday to resolve any problems of water supply and weak water pressure.       

All water companies such as Thủ Đức, Tân Hiệp and Tân Phú must be ready to operate at a designated capacity requested by SAWACO.

To comply with the policy to limit exploitation of underground water sources, SAWACO has shifted to other sources.

Most water samples from drilled wells in the city are contaminated, affecting people’s health in the long run, said a city official.

To cope with climate change, which affects the city’s water resources, SAWACO has adjusted the water supply master plan, incorporating provisions to build more pumping stations as well as lakes and tanks to store treated and untreated water.

Last year, SAWACO asked the city authority to build five reservoirs in the next eight years to ensure clean water supply for residents.

The quality of the water supply has worsened due to pollution and effects of climate change, according to SAWACO.

The five reservoirs, which will be able to store up to 373,000cu.m of water, will be located in Gò Vấp and Bình Chánh districts and in the central, southern and western parts of the city.

By 2025, SAWACO expects the total capacity of the city’s reservoirs and water towers to be upgraded to 1.2 million cubic metres, or about 48 per cent of the total water consumed on a daily basis. — VNS