Tien Giang (VNS/VNA) – The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang has taken measuresto supply water for daily use to more households in areas affected by saltwaterintrusion to ensure no one has to buy water at high prices.

For itseastern region, which includes the districts of Go Cong Dong, Go Cong Tay, andTan Phu Dong and Go Cong Town, it has drilled seven borewells at a cost of morethan 10 billion VND (434,000 USD), according to the province’s Department ofAgriculture and Rural Development.

Itundertook 23 projects for installing pipes to carry water frompumping stations in My Tho City to areas in the east without tap water.

The easternregion now has 198 water pumping stations with a capacity of 98,640cu.m a daythat supply 17,804 urban households and 118,266 rural households.

At thebeginning of this dry season, which lasts between December and May, theprovince had finalised plans to set up 103 public water supply sites to providefree water to 6,516 families living in the east in rural and remote areas,outside sea dykes, along the coast, near estuaries, and in fields that do notget tap water and have difficulty getting water for daily use.

It has so farset up 41 of them to supply 1,400cu.m a day, and will set up the rest when thesituation worsens.

It hasinstructed coastal districts to strengthen advocacy about storing freshwaterappropriately and using it carefully.

In the isletdistrict of Tan Phu Dong, which is severely affected by saltwater intrusionduring the dry season, 1,500 of the 11,800 local households do not get tapwater.

But 12 pipeswith a total length of 24.2 kilometres have been laid to supply water to thethree coastal communes of Phu Dong, Phu Tan and Phu Thanh this year.

The districthas also set up five free public water supply sites to benefit households in PhuTan Commune.

It has pumpedwater from rivers when the salinity is below 2 grammes per litre into ponds forstoring it.

These havehelped resolve the shortage of water, Bui Thai Son, Secretary of the district'sParty Committee and Chairman of its People’s Committee, said./.