Due to extreme and prolonged hot weather over recent weeks, Da Nang’s Cau Do (Red Bridge) River has been suffering from severe salt-water contamination.

The Son Tra 1 Water Supply Plant has stopped operating as no water source came from the Son Tra Reservoir which has dried up

At 9.00pm on Saturday, the salinity level of the river reached 993mg/l, up to 4 times higher than the allowed limits. Therefore, the Da Nang Water Supply Company (DAWACO) had to source water from the An Trach Dam to ensure the sufficient water supply for the daily lives, and the agricultural and industrial production activities, of local citizens.

Currently, the Son Tra 1 Water Supply Plant, with the daily capacity of between 5,000 and 6,000 m³ of water, has temporarily halted its operation due to a severe shortage of water sourced from the Son Tra Reservoir which has dried up.

Meanwhile, the Son Tra 2 and 3 water supply plants have also been facing severe shortages of raw water from the Da Stream and the Green Lake respectively.

As a result, such residential areas as Nai Hung A, Nai Hung B, Nai Hung C, An Cu 3, and Pho Duc Chinh, in Son Tra District are facing low water flow and pressure, and still worse, water supply interruptions occurring during peak hours, especially between 5pm and 10pm.

Some residential areas in Hoa Minh and Hoa Khanh Bac wards in Lien Chieu District, and Hoa Hai Ward in Ngu Hanh Son District, have also suffering from the same problem.

Residents living on Le Canh Tuan Street expressing their annoyance at water supply interruptions occurring during peak hours

General Director of DAWACO Ho Huong said the problem of salinity of the Cau Do River has not been too serious, and the water supply plants on the Son Tra Peninsula have provided around 1,500m³ of water in total. He, however, noted that due to the recent hot weather conditions, people have used a lot of water. This has resulted in a shortage of tap water during peak hours.

“The salinity problem of the Cau Do River and the shortage of tap water will be more severe in the next few days due to semidiurnal tide. In addition, hydropower plants in the basins of the Vu Gia and Thu Bon rivers have not ensured the discharge of water in accordance with their operation process during weekends”, Mr Huong added.