VietNamNet Bridge – A flood drainage system for the Duong De residential quarter in Nha Trang City has been inundated with problems that have prevented its completion 12 years after it was approved.

Worse still, additional work needed to address some major shortcomings is estimated to cost more than the investment earmarked for the entire project.

The flood drainage system project for the residential quarter in Vinh Hoa District was approved by the Khanh Hoa People's Committee in 2002.

Essentially, it would build a 1.165-kilometre canal to divert runoff from the Hon Kho Mountain to the sea off Nha Trang.

The Khanh Hoa Centre for Development of Land Fund was assigned as investor of the VND20.2 billion (US$961,900) project.

But 12 years on, just 600m of canal has been built and the project has been temporarily suspended.

Residents at the foot of the Hon Kho Mountain say that water leaks from the project have become more and more serious over the last few years.

Cap Van Luat, who lives in the quarter's Group 15, said that during the rainy season last year, water from the canal leaked and overflowed on to Trieu Quang Phuc Road.

The canal was also hit by a landslide, he said.

The residents are worried that the canal can break and water would flow directly into their homes, Luat added.

Nguyen Tien Luu, director of the Khanh Hoa Centre for Development of Land Fund, told the Tuoi tre (Youth) newspaper that when the agency that designed the project, the Khanh Hoa Irrigation Consultancy Company, did not take underground water into account, leading to the leaks.

In October 2013, the Khanh Hoa People's Committee asked the project investor to carry out works to prevent any breach in the canal.

The centre hired the Khanh Hoa Irrigation Consultant Company to formulate a project to carry out the needed repairs.

Last December, the company informed the People's Committee that the repairs would cost more than VND23.3 billion ($1.1 million), which was VND3 billion ($142,800) more than the investment for the entire flood drainage system.

Le Duc Vinh, deputy chairman of the Khanh Hoa People's Committee, said that the province cannot agree to pay such a large some of money to improve a project that had lasted for more than 10 years and had many problems.

Besides, the province does not have the needed funds, he said.

Vinh asked the centre and the company to re-examine reasons for the leaks and carry out repairs only at the vulnerable points. Both agencies have been asked to submit a plan to complete the project by the middle of this month.

Director Luu told Tuoi tre (Youth) that he was not sure when repair work on the drainage system would begin.

VNS