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| Some households in Commune 7 , Trần Hưng Đạo District, have to buy water for cooking. Photo for illustration only. - VNA/VNS Photo |
Viet Nam News
QUẢNG NGÃI — Tap water is coming to 19 households in Quảng Ngãi City, after four long decades.
The residents of Commune 7, Trần Hưng Đạo District, who haven’t had clean water for more than 40 years despite living near the city centre, will enjoy tap water for the first time before the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday.
Lê Trà, 54, living on Nguyễn Bá Loan Street, told Vietnam News Agency that his family had to use well water for cooking and cleaning.
Sulfate contaminated water has posed health risks to his family, Trà said.
Đặng Thị Cẩm Thuý, another resident, said there used to be tap water in the area. However, as the system had degraded without being repaired, people have to use well water.
However, they fear the water is contaminated as the wells are located near a sewer discharge.
“In recent years, foam started appearing in water pumped from our well. We only use it for cleaning and have to buy bottled water to eat and drink,” she said.
Trần Quang Tuân, head of Commune 7, said that due to poverty, these 19 households could not afford to repair the tap water system.
Instead, they dug wells.
Many of them suffer severe diseases, even cancer, after using unhygienic water.
“We have asked Quảng Ngãi Province Water Supply and Sewerage Joint Stock Company to install pipes to supply clean water in the area,” he said.
Answering people’s requests, Đặng Ngọc Anh, the company director, said they were preparing to set up the system without asking local residents to pay.
The installation is expected to be completed by February 4, a day before Tết. – VNS
