Hanoi faces summer water shortages

The Hanoi Department of Construction has said at least four districts will lack water this summer due to shortages.

The Hanoi Department of Construction has said at least four districts will lack water this summer due to shortages.

  

People in Hanoi face water shortage in 2016

Population growth has driven up demand for water. Two years ago, Hanoi already faced a shortfall of 40,000 cubic metres a day during the summer. This year, it is estimated that Hanoi will lack 70,000 to 100,000 cubic metres of every day during the peak of summer.

About 9,500 people living along Buoi, Hang Buom, Hang Tre, Hai Ba Trung and De La Thanh streets in the four districts of Ba Dinh, Tay Ho, Hoan Kiem and Dong Da will face difficulties in daily lives due to lack of water.

The authorities also worry that the Da River water pipeline may break again. The designed capacity of Da River Water Plant is supposed to let it provide 600,000 cubic metres of water a day. But in fact, since 2015, its capacity decreased to 200,000 cubic metres a day, providing 23% of total clean water to the city. All water plants in the city can provide 900,000 cubic metres of water a day but the demand is a million cubic metres in summer.

Hanoi authorities have asked relevant agencies to make plans and set up water tanks at residential areas. The water shortage may be finally dealt with when Duong River and Red River water plant projects are completed in 2020.