Khanh Hoa calls for investment in upgrading reservoirs

The central coastal province of Khanh Hoa is calling for foreign and domestic investments into building and upgrading reservoirs to address serious water shortages.

According to local authority, the locality needs an investment of 9.4 trillion VND (423 million USD) to upgrade eight existing reservoirs, and build five new ones in an effort to deal with an anticipated water shortage of 300 million cubic meters of water by 2020.

Cam Ranh reservoir in Khanh Hoa province

The provincial People’s Committee requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development accelerate the building of the Song Cho and Dong Dien reservoirs which have the capacity of 99 million and 95 million cubic meters of water, respectively, at a combined cost of 7.2 trillion VND (324 million USD).

The locality will mobilise different resources to build the Son Trung, Song Can, Suoi Sau reservoirs, at a total cost of 730 billion VND (32.8 million USD) and a dam to prevent saltwater intrusion in the Cai River, worth 700 billion VND (31.5 million USD).

From 2017 to 2022, numerous projects will be implemented to repair eight degrading reservoirs, namely Suoi Trau, Lang Nhot, Dong Bo, Da Mai, Cay Sung, Suoi Luong, Suoi Lon, and Ben Ghe, at a total cost exceeding 9.4 million USD funded by the World Bank.

Other dredging projects will also be carried out to ensure safety and prevent sedimentation in Am Chua, Da Mai, Suoi Trau reservoirs.

Khanh Hoa is now home to 28 reservoirs, with a combined capacity of 250 million cubic meters of water, meeting 60 percent of the locality’s current water demand, which is estimated to reach 670 million cubic meters by 2020 and 754 million cubic meters by 2030.