Previously, the management of the water supply network mainly relied on paper records and the experience of field staff. Every time an incident occurred, workers had to spend a lot of time searching for the location of the pipeline deep underground. With the introduction of the Geographic Information System (GIS) into operation at Trung An Water Supply Joint Stock Company, those pipelines that seemed "invisible" are now clearly displayed on the digital map. The person behind this turning point is Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Yen, Deputy Head of the Technical Department and colleagues at Trung An Water Supply Joint Stock Company.
The desire to apply technology to urban infrastructure has been cherished by Ms. Yen since she was in university. Ms. Yen shared: "Since I was in university, I have dreamed of applying GIS expertise to the water supply sector to have the opportunity to'look through' the ground - where a complex pipeline network exists like silent blood vessels that feed the city every day.
Taking on the responsibility in an area with rapid urbanization, Ms. Yen and her colleagues constantly research and link each arising technical problem. In the past 5 years, she has chaired and participated in 11 initiatives, bringing benefits to the unit of more than 4.5 billion VND. The most typical is the project to apply GIS to network management, operation and production and business activities, helping to standardize the TAWAGIS database and synchronize data with Saigon Water Corporation (SAWACO).
Thanks to this solution, the unit has accurately supplemented more than 12,600 water meter positions and other network asset positions, adjusted more than 1,250 incorrect and duplicate data points, contributing to recovering about 140,000 m3 of water lost each year and creating a premise for improvement solutions to work in the later stages. With the meticulousness and persistence of a female engineer, she carefully checks every small fluctuation of network data on a digital platform, thereby contributing to supporting departments, divisions, and teams in managing and operating the water supply network more and more effectively.
Ms. Yen said: "GIS does not replace the experience of technicians, but helps connect data with the reality of the field so that small signs can be seen more clearly, helping processing to be more grounded, faster and more accurate.
Not only excellently completing professional tasks, in her position as Vice President of the Trade Union, Ms. Yen is always close, listens to and directly mentors 18 colleagues who achieve high results in the creative labor emulation movement. In addition, she also actively spreads network management experience using GIS technology to water supply units in Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, and Can Tho.
Those persistent contributions have made Ms. Yen one of the typical faces honored to receive the Ton Duc Thang Award in 2026. Moved when honored to receive the award, Ms. Yen confided: "This is not only a memorable milestone in my personal labor career, but above all, this is the common achievement of a whole collective that has always nurtured, supported and accompanied me throughout the past working journey.
