People in drought-hit Thanh My commune, Quang Nam province, need to travel hours every day to get water from a stream in the forest. (Photo: vov.vn)
Quang Nam (VNA) - People in the central province of Quang Namare suffering from a severe water shortage due to extreme and prolonged hotweather and drought.
The 50m-long downstream section of the Dak Mi riverin Phuoc Son and Nam Giang districts has been dry for long and local people haveto dig the riverbed for water.
It was partly caused by the Dak Mi 4 HydropowerPlant, whose dam has blocked the water flow in the river.
Thousands of households living in the downstreamarea have been hit by a severe shortage of water. For their daily needs, peoplehave to get water from streams in forests.
“In the hot weather 2,000 of us have been livingon water from the Khe Dung Stream,” Brol Thi Buoi, a resident of Thanh My commune inNam Giang district, said.
“Every day we have to wake up very early in themorning to get water from the forest. It is really hard work,” she said.
Most of the waterworks in mountainous areas havebeen in a state of disrepair for many years due to poor maintenance. Some areused to store rainwater.
A Lang Mai, Chairman of the Nam Giang DistrictPeople’s Committee, said: “This year thedrought has lasted since February, and so many areas suffer from a watershortage.”
The district has only one pumping station whichsupplies water only to some areas in its vicinity, he said.
“People in mountain villages are using waterfrom streams because water companies have not installed pipes.”
The water shortage has also hit the islandcommune of Tan Hiep, Cu Lao Cham (Cham Islet) and Hoi An city.
These places receive 3,000 tourists every daywhile their water supply of 80,000cu.m is only enough to meet local residents’needs.
So restaurants are forced to use water fromwells which could be brackish or not clean.
To mitigate the water shortage, Quang Nam provinceand Da Nang city authorities have asked hydropower plants to release water.
The province is also soliciting investment inthe restoration of waterworks, said Le Thanh Tri, Vice Chairman of the QuangNam People’s Committee.-VNA
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People in drought-hit Thanh My commune, Quang Nam province, need to travel hours every day to get water from a stream in the forest. (Photo: vov.vn) 
