The administration of Da Nang City in central Vietnam has approved investment in a new pipeline after increased salinity made a crucial water source unfit for use, leading to a historic citywide water shortage last year.

The new pipeline, costing VND24 billion (US$1 million), will connect Cau Do Water Plant in Cam Le District with An Trach Pumping Station in Hoa Vang District, providing a backup raw water supply for Da Nang’s largest water plant.

Currently, the Cau Do Water Plant takes it raw water from the nearby Cau Do River before filtering it into safe, usable water to supply thousands of households in the central Vietnamese city.

However, erratic weather in early November 2018 caused water in the Cau Do River to be subject to severe salinization, rendering it unfit for use.

Without its main supply of raw water, the Cau Do Water Plant could not produce enough water to supply residents in Da Nang, causing a historic citywide water shortage that affected millions in late 2018.

While the plant did resort to sourcing its water from the An Trach Pumping Station, located around ten kilometers away, the current piping system could only transfer around 210,00 cubic meters of raw water from An Trach to Cau Do daily, while water demand in Da Nang has surpassed 270,000 cubic meters per day.

Inside the Cau Do Water Plant in Cam Le District, Da Nang. Photo: Tuoi Tre

According to Da Nang Water Company (Dawaco), the new pipeline would enable all six of An Trach’s water pumps to operate at full throttle when needed, eliminating the risk of another water crisis.

The new pipeline must be completed before May 30, 2019, allowing at least 240,000 cubic meters of raw water to be transferred from An Trach to Cau Do on any given day, the municipal administration said in a statement.

Dawaco is also responsible for maintaining the pipeline and water pumps at An Trach Pumping Station to make sure no problem arises during its operation.

In addition, Da Nang also has plans to invest in building another water plant in Hoa Vang District to improve the city’s water production capabilities in the long term.

Inside the Cau Do Water Plant in Cam Le District, Da Nang. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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