Quang Ngai water supply projects face operational failures

In Quang Ngai province, Vietnam, 711 rural water supply projects are either non-operational or functioning unsustainably. An assessment by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of 1,046 rural clean water projects revealed that 368 are inactive and 343 are operating poorly, accounting for nearly 68% of the total.

While 99.74% of rural households use hygienic water, only 62.07% have access to clean water meeting standard regulations. The connection rate to these water supply works is only 42.6%.

Key issues contributing to these failures include a lack of professional management personnel after projects are handed over to local authorities, the absence of water fee collection schemes, and insufficient funds for maintenance. Other challenges include poor initial surveying and design, water shortages, damage from floods and landslides, and high costs for pipeline installation in dispersed mountainous areas. Climate change has also contributed to the depletion of surface and groundwater during the dry season.