Completing freshwater storage facilities in the Mekong Delta

During the 7th session of the 15th National Assembly, many National Assembly delegates expressed concerns about climate change, drought, and severe saltwater intrusion occurring in the Mekong Delta region.

To mitigate and cope with drought and saltwater intrusion, delegates suggested that the government needs urgent and long-term solutions, including expediting the construction and completion of freshwater storage systems for the Mekong Delta region.

Delegate Nguyen Truc Son from Ben Tre province stated that through interactions with constituents in the Mekong Delta region, especially in Ben Tre province, the Government and the Fatherland Front Commitee have proposed solutions, emphasizing that providing clean and fresh water for people is crucial as it is an essential commodity for both daily life and production. However, saltwater intrusion has been occurring for many years, continuously worsening in the Mekong Delta region.

Observing that the central ministries and the Government have proposed solutions and allocated significant investment for the Mekong Delta region, Delegate Nguyen Truc Son considered this a positive sign for the region. He emphasized that the current water scarcity issue is not only specific to the Mekong Delta region but also affects the entire country.

Therefore, Delegate Nguyen Truc Son recommended implementing existing programs vigorously to prevent recurring saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta region and the whole country, alongside implementing Resolution 106/2023/QH15 of the National Assembly and Resolution 108/NQ-CP of the Government.

Similarly, delegate Tran Van Sau from Dong Thap province shared the consensus, stating that the Government's report also highlighted difficulties, limitations, and unfavourable factors affecting the economy.

"Comparing these six factors, it seems they are fully present in the Mekong Delta region. The people here used to worry about living with floods, but now they have to cope with droughts, saltwater intrusion, and the constant threat of landslides, which surround and besiege them. It's hard to imagine the entirety of this riverine region where people have to travel many miles at night to beg for each bucket of water as a relief. In 2024, droughts and saltwater intrusion have become more severe, with 11 out of 13 provinces in the Mekong Delta region declaring a state of emergency due to saltwater intrusion," the delegate emphasized.

Despite the implementation of many urgent solutions such as water storage for production and daily life, crop and livestock conversion, rebuilding freshwater reservoirs, and changing agricultural practices, Delegate Tran Van Sau noted that there are still many difficulties.

To mitigate and respond to the situation of drought and saltwater intrusion, Delegate Tran Van Sau proposed that the Government pay attention to, study, and implement some solutions recommended by scientists. There is a need to strengthen investment in building monitoring and surveillance systems and enhance the capacity to forecast saltwater intrusion.

"We need to dig more canals to drain saline water, wash away salt deposits, and bring sediment into fields to turn dead fields into rice fields. Now, even though these canals are letting seawater into the fields, the river systems are blocked, and saltwater intrusion is widespread, so it is essential to forecast regularly and accurately to respond promptly. Residents should be advised to change their production practices, switch crops, and adapt livestock to be more suitable", the delegate proposed.

Delegate Tran Van Sau suggested prioritizing funding to urgently build and complete freshwater storage systems for the Mekong Delta region, especially in the Tu Giac Long Xuyen and the Dong Thap Muoi region. This is seen as both an immediate and long-term solution to alleviate freshwater shortages in the region and ensure the provision of water for the people. Additionally, he recommended promptly implementing water supply planning for the region to ensure a water supply system for residents.

Delegate Dao Chi Nghia (Can Tho City) believes that in recent times, the prolonged heatwaves and freshwater scarcity in the Mekong Delta have significantly affected the lives of people in many areas, especially coastal regions. This situation has severely impacted production activities, particularly in agriculture, aquaculture, and fisheries.

Therefore, Delegate Dao Chi Nghia urges the government to pay attention and promptly implement plans to build water storage and regulation facilities for localities in the Mekong Delta region.

Additionally, he suggests that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development consider long-term solutions for restructuring and provide guidance on agricultural, aquacultural, and fisheries production methods suitable for the current context of limited water resources in the Mekong Delta region.