A 65-hectare freshwater reservoir with a designed capacity of 4.5 million cubic metres will be built in Vinh Tuong commune, Vi Thuy district, the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang in response to climate change.

The project will be carried out in two phases with a total investment of 395 billion VND (17.38 million USD). The first phase will be implemented between 2018 and 2020.

The construction of the reservoir forms part of the local effort to cope with impacts of climate change in Vietnam and stop using the low-quality surface water from the Xa No canal.

The reservoir aims to supply water for the province’s agricultural production during the dry season and control water storage for daily-life services and production during the rainy season. It will also provide an alternative source of water in case the main sources of water are polluted or saltwater intrusion occurs.

It is estimated that more than 260,000 local residents will benefit from the project.

In a meeting on May 3 to discuss the project’s implementation, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Truong Canh Tuyen asked relevant agencies to survey the number of households and areas of farm lands to be affected by the project.

He stressed the need to evaluate socio-economic effects of the reservoir as well as assess its impacts on the environment.-VNA