The Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF) has just sponsored 40 modern water filter systems at 40 schools and 1,000 water tanks for residents in Khanh Hoa Province, bringing great joy for the beneficiaries...
The Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF) has just sponsored 40 modern water filter systems at 40 schools and 1,000 water tanks for residents in Khanh Hoa Province, bringing great joy for the beneficiaries.
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| Water filter system at Cam Hai Tay Primary School. |
The water filter system has just been installed at Cam Hai Tay Primary School, Cam Lam District. Teacher Le Thi Xuan Quon says, “Located in Cam Hai Tay, a coastal area where the underground water sources are found infected by saltwater, the school is usually in need of safe drinking water. Everyday, the school has to buy bottled water partly paid by pupils’ parents. Thanks to the water filter system, the school can get sufficient drinking water for teachers and pupils. Pupils’ parents do not have to pay for the drinking water any more.” The school has been given support by the commune People’s Committee in the cementation of the drinking water area. The school has also advised pupils to protect the water system for long-term benefits, reports Tran Cong Thien, Vice-Principal of Cam Hai Tay Primary School.
Ninh Trung Commune Primary School, Ninh Hoa Town has also shared the same joy of the water filter system installment. “We cannot use underground water due to saltwater intrusion, so we used to lack fresh water for use at school. We are very happy to get fresh drinking water from the standard filter system,” says a representative of Ninh Trung Commune Primary School.
Water Resources Directorate, which is in charge of the project development, has just provided operation guidance for 40 nursery and primary schools benefiting from the water filter installment in Khanh Hoa Province. A representative of Sao Mai Nursery School, Tha Mang Village, Ba Cum Bac, Khanh Son District says, “We can get clear instruction on how to operate the water filter system.”
Reportedly, the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund has provided emergency aid against drought and saltwater intrusion in the Southern Central Region, central highlands and Mekong River Delta. The project is developed by the Natural Disaster Prevention & Control Department, Water Resources Directorate. Accordingly, the project has funded water fitter systems for schools and water tanks for disadvantaged families in 7 provinces, including Khanh Hoa with 40 nursery and primary schools benefiting from 40 water filter systems (26 freshwater filter systems and 14 saltwater filter ones). Besides, 1,000 stainless steel water tanks, 1,500l each, have been donated to disadvantaged families affected by drought and saltwater intrusion in Khanh Hoa Province. The aid was worth nearly VND7 billion in total.
“My family used to depend on rain water collection to meet our drinking water needs. We also had to bring water from a far distance or buy water from storage tanks. We are so delighted to be offered a stainless steel tank to contain water hygienically.” says a resident named Nguyen Than Phong in Tu Dong Village, Cam Hoa Town. “There is a high demand for water filter systems at nursery and primary schools in Khanh Hoa Province. Hopefully, there will be many similar projects to benefit schools,” says Nguyen Thai Nhu Tri, Director of Khanh Hoa Water Resources Directorate.
Over the past years, Vietnam has experienced unfavorable weather conditions, especially drought and saltwater intrusion. El Nino is expected to occur in late 2017 and early 2018. The project is of great social benefits. Particularly, water quality intervention has helped children in provinces impacted by drought and saltwater intrusion to have access to get safe drinking water together with hygienic practice propaganda, according to Tran Quang Hoai, Deputy Director General of the Water Resource Directorate, Member of National Steering Committee For Natural Disaster Prevention & Control.
Cong Dinh
Translated by N.T
