VietNamNet Bridge – During scorching days, hundreds of people in Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, central Vietnam, flocked to Cong Kep rivulet in Nam Dan district, Nghe An, to buy water.



VietNamNet’s correspondents were there on May 9 and saw hundreds of people forming a line to buy ‘holy water’, which runs year-round from the hillside from two taps.

Under the baking sun, people were patiently waiting for their turn to buy cans of water. They told VietNamNet that the ‘holy water’ is pure, cool and sweet. Making tea by this water, the taste is very special. Women bath by this water, expecting to have white skin. Some people drank the water on the spot.

This situation has preceded from a rumor that water running from Cong Kep rivulet is sweet, cool and it is ‘holy water’ that can cure all diseases.

Besides people who bought the water for the first time, some told VietNamNet that they had bought the water for many years.

A woman from Nam Dan district, Nghe An, said that she bought the ‘holy water’ every week. She praised the water for its sweet taste, which was very great for making green tea and to bathe babies.

“Bathing kids by this water, they do not have prickly heats. I can store the water for a month but it is still limpid,” she said.

In July 2010, the Preventive Medical Center of Nghe An province tested the ‘holy water’ and concluded that it is normal water. However, local people and those from neighboring provinces keep coming here to buy ‘holy water.’ Customers who are not local residents have to pay three times higher.

The authorities of Khanh Son commune, where the Cong Khe rivulet is situated, knew about the test by the Nghe An Preventive Medical Center, but they did not tell people so many people still believe that this is ‘holy water.’

A local man named Nguyen Trong Lich won the bid to sell the ‘holy water’ and pay fees to the local authorities. A 20l can is priced VND1,000 ($0.05) for people in Khanh Son commune and VND3,000/can for outsiders.



The current from Cong Kep stream runs through two taps all the year round. On average, a 20l can is filled up in over two minutes.

“My family has to pay VND120 million ($6,000) each year to the commune authorities,” said a relative of Mr. Lich.

According to this man, customers usually came to buy water from 3am to 11am and 4pm to 8pm. The family earns VND800,000 to over VND1 million ($40-50) a day, during the dry season, and around VND400,000 ($20) a day in the rainy season.

Local people told VietNamNet that prior to 2010, when the local government did not open bid yet, people fought over the right to explore the ‘holy water.’

Mr. Nguyen Trong Tranh, Vice Chair of Khanh Son commune, said that this is not holy water but many people used it and praised its quality.

Mr. Pham Van Thanh, director of Nghe An province’s Department of Health, said that this source of water is not certified but tests showed that its quality is good for use.

Quoc Huy