A view of the Duong River Clean Water Plant. — Photo: VNN

On June 30, 2017, the municipal departments of finance and construction sent a letter to the Hanoi People’s Committee to make a proposal for clean water prices from the Duong River Surface Water Plant of VND10,246 ($0.44) per cubic metre.

However, different enterprises, including Hanoi Water Co Ltd (Hawaco) and Hanoi Water Supply Number 2 JSC, complained saying they would be unable to continue operating at that price.

Duong River plant's proposed price is even higher than the retail price that the Hanoi People's Committee is implementing and the price other clean water plants are applying.

At present, Hawaco resells clean water from the plant for VND9,700 ($0.42) per cubic metre, and the move would cost the company a loss of more than VND190 billion ($8.3 million) per year.

Hanoi Water Supply Number 2 JSC said it would suffer a loss of nearly VND60 billion ($2.6 million) per year.

In December last year, different units from the finance, construction and clean water sectors sent a letter to the Hanoi People’s Committee asking for subsidies.

2019 is the first year the Duong River water plant supply water to residents in Hanoi with the daily volume of 100,000cu.m.

Hanoi to halt bottled water price hike after water contamination incident

The Directorate of Market Surveillance under the Ministry of Industry and Trade has instructed Hanoi market watch to put a stop to rising prices of bottled water.

VNS