VietNamNet Bridge – The Institute for Water Resources and Environment has said that brine encroachment in HCM City early 2011 nearly doubles the average of previous years and is taking place a month earlier than normal.

 
The encroachment of sea water has largely affected the water quality for agriculture and the daily life of HCM City people.

 

In late February HCM City-based Tan Hiep Water Supply Plant, which provides 300,000cu.m of water to HCM City residents a day, had to ask for assistance from the Dau Tieng Reservoir when the salt levels of the water in Saigon River (Cu Chi district section) exceeded the permitted level. Dau Tieng Reservoir discharged tens of millions of cubic meters of water to push the salty water downstream.

 

In recent days, according to the Institute, encroachment of sea water in the Saigon River has increased under the strengthening of northeastern monsoons. Dau Tieng Reservoir had to continue discharging water from February 13-20 to save the Tan Hiep Water Supply Plant. As a result, its water level reduced by 4-5cm a day to nearly the dead level while the dry season will last until July.

 

The Thu Duc and BOO Thu Duc Water Plants are in more dangerous situation because they use the water from the Dong Nai River, where doesn’t have the assistance from any reservoir. The saltiness in some sections of the river has reached 5%.

 

Pointing to his durian orchard, Mr. Hai Ruong in Lai Thieu town, Binh Duong Province, said that he watered the orchard by water from a nearby canal but after being irrigated, trees faded. “I have had to pump water from wells to water the trees,” he said.

 

Salt water encroachment has not only affected the water resources for daily life but also nearly 100,000 hectares of crops and orchards in HCM City and Tay Ninh provinces.

 

In a recent meeting with officials of Dau Tieng reservoir, HCM City Vice Chair Nguyen Trung Tin noted that the reservoir is very important to HCM City and the southern region. Saving water is the top priority in the current situation.

 

Nguyen Van Dam, director of the HCM City Irrigation Service Management Company, said that due to water shortage, since late January 2011, Dau Tieng reservoir has had to perform alternative water supply for HCM City and Tay Ninh to save water.

 

Relevant agencies have instructed farmers to plant trees that don’t need much water and to repair canals.

 

PV