VietNamNet Bridge – The lack of water for Hanoians over the last two weeks was caused partly by the water supply plant reducing water pump pressure for fear that the pipeline may break down again.

Hanoians have been put on tenterhooks because they don’t have clean water to use in summer days. According to the Hanoi Construction Department, the water supply interruption has occurred in 17 places in Hanoi located on high terrain.

The department’s director, Le Van Duc, said that Viwaco, the water supply company belonging to Vinaconex, has “more than enough” water to provide to Hanoians, but the water could not reach consumers within the last two weeks.

Viwaco, fearing that the pipeline may break down again (it has broken down six times in the past), has reduced the transmission pressure. The company has reported a very high percentage of water loss during the transmission– of up to 28-29 percent.

Another reason lies in the Da River Surface Water Plant’s capacity. It cannot run at full designed capacity and can only provide 220,000 out of 300,000 cubic meters of water a day.

Thus, the areas suffering from the water supply cut are mostly those served by Viwaco.

The short supply has also been attributed to the sharp increase in water demand.

A report submitted by the construction department to Hanoi’s Mayor showed that 900,000 cubic meters of water is provided to city dwellers every day.

That supply is nearly the same as 2013, while the demand for water has increased by 7-10 percent.

“Hanoi lacks water because of lower pump pressure. If water plants ran as designed, water shortage would not occur,” the deputy chair of Hanoi People’s Committee, Nguyen Quoc Hung, concluded.

“We need to look at the situation realistically,” he added.

Dr. Vu Ngoc Anh, dean of the Civil Engineering Faculty of Hanoi Architecture University, believes that the water supply company has made the correct decision to reduce the water pump pressure.

According to Anh, very high pressure would be needed to push the water to the end of the pipeline. Meanwhile, high pressure would cause the low-quality pipes to break.  

The water would leak out from pointsthat connect the sections of the pipeline and would infiltrate the soil, he said.

“The vulnerable pipeline, which broke down six times in the past, will not be able to bear high pressure,” Anh said.

When asked why the pipeline repeatedly broke recently, Anh cited two possible reasons, including the weak ground which was not properly dealt with technically, and the weak connecting points on the pipeline.

The repeated incidents with the pipeline have raised anger among the public because this is another product of low-cost Chinese technology.

The State Agency on Construction Works Inspection has been assigned to discover the reasons behind the repeated incidents. They have yet to report any findings, however.

Hanoi approves project to combat water shortage

Authorities in Ha Noi have agreed to build 10 kilometres of water pipelines to bring water from the Da River to the capital city to alleviate serious water shortages in some areas across the city.

At a meeting with water supply companies on Tuesday, Vice Chairman of the committee Nguyen Quoc Hung told the Vinaconex Clean Water JSC to begin construction in June.

It would be the second pipeline from the Da River to the city.

Last week, many people in Thanh Xuan, Tay Ho, Hoang Mai and Ha Dong districts were without fresh tap water for at least three days. With temperatures reaching up to 39 degrees Celcius, people reportedly queued to buy water at a high cost.

The reason for the shortage, according to one representative from the company, was substandard water pipes that were failing to deliver fresh water. The pipes were running at the highest pressure level and could break if the pressure increased to supply more water to the city.

The construction of a second pipeline would help solve the problem, he said. The new water pipes would be built from Hoa Lac to Tich River, while the city would support the interest rate of the loan to the company.

Hung also asked the company to set up three spots to directly supply fresh water in Dai Kim Ward, Bui Xuong Trach Street and Giai Phong Road.

The company was requested to urgently build a pipeline to Ton That Tung Street to supply water to households in Dinh Cong Ward.

He asked the Ha Noi Clean Water One Member Co,Ltd to tap into underground water to support the company in supplying fresh water to residents in Cau Giay and Dong Da districts.

The Ha Noi Clean Water Company is also said to be purchasing about 50,000 cubic metres of water per day from the Da River to supply to these two districts. However, the amount was falling by 10,000 cubic metres per day, causing water loss in some certain areas.

The Da River water pipeline was put into use in 1997 and had been broken on six separate occasions. Tens of thousands of households suffered water shortages for days on each occasion.

Currently, there are 18 water plants in the city. Vinaconex Clean Water JSC supplies 30 per cent of the city's total water demand.

Dat Viet/VNN