Proactive from the grassroots level
Cu Lao Dung commune (Can Tho City), is the downstream area of the Hau River bordering the East Sea, so it is often affected by saltwater intrusion. The locality currently has more than 22.4km of sea dikes, 22.4km of river dykes, 44.6km of left-right dikes and 18 culverts and a system of 191 canals and ditches, contributing to preventing saltwater intrusion and storing freshwater for production.
Mr. Nguyen Van Dac - Vice Chairman of Cu Lao Dung Commune People's Committee - said that right from the beginning of the dry season, the locality has propagated and guided people to dredge canals and ditches, consolidate embankments and proactively store water for production. Regarding domestic water, the whole commune currently has 2 centralized water supply projects with nearly 3,000 households connected, and a pipeline network of more than 91km. In February 2026, the Center for Clean Water and Rural Environmental Sanitation of Can Tho City installed 2 additional 10,000 liter water tanks to provide free water to people when needed.
On a regional scale, the irrigation system in the South bank of the Hau River is playing an important role in controlling water sources, in which Rach Mop fishing port culvert is the largest project.The project helps control salinity and retain fresh water for more than 19,220ha of agricultural land in the Ke Sach, Chau Thanh, Long Phu and former Soc Trang center areas, and at the same time supply water to more than 36,000ha of production land in Soc Trang and Hau Giang (old).From December to April of the following year, when the salinity of the Hau River reaches 0.5g/l, the culvert will be closed to prevent salinity and only reopen when the salinity decreases.
In the fruit tree area of Dong Thap province, many households store water in garden ditches, cover it with grass to retain moisture and install water-saving irrigation systems.In coastal communes, many families invest in tanks, cement tanks and rainwater collection systems to store domestic water, and at the same time change water use habits in a saving direction...
Prepare multiple response scenarios
According to the People's Committee of Dong Thap province, saltwater intrusion in the dry season of 2025 - 2026 may affect the Go Cong freshwater project area, the expanded Bao Dinh project area (belonging to the old Tien Giang province) and the fruit orchards in the Southwest of the province, posing a risk of freshwater shortage in the downstream areas. Faced with this situation, the province has developed operating scenarios for the water supply system.
In the Go Cong sweetening project area, when the salinity exceeds 250 mg/liter to the Lac Hong Park area (My Tho ward), 10 backup drilling wells will be operated to regulate water sources from Dong Tam Water Plant supplying water to 18 communes and wards in the eastern province. If the salinity continues to intrude into Kim Son commune (and Nguyen Tan Thanh canal), 12 backup drilling wells will be operated, and fresh water will be pumped in from the Sau Au - Xoai Hot canal to ensure water sources for Dong Tam Water Plant and Binh Duc Water Plant.
In the Phu Thanh - Phu Dong project area, water supply stations also arrange water taps and public tanks to serve people who do not have access to centralized water supply systems. For the Bao Dinh project area expanded to flood control area, when surface water sources are affected by closing saltwater intrusion culverts, the province will operate backup drilled wells at Vinh Kim water supply station, Cai Lay Water Plant and Cai Be Water Plant to ensure domestic water supply for people. In Vinh Long province, the Provincial People's Committee has also issued a Plan to prevent and combat water shortages, drought, and saltwater intrusion in the dry season in 2025 - 2026. In which, using water economically and storing water sources for production.
Vinh Long Provincial Rural Clean Water Center said that the whole province currently has 237 water supply stations serving more than 484,000 rural households. When the salinity level is from 1‰ to below 2‰, water plants will connect to the water supply network and operate 31 salt filtration systems to ensure drinking water for people. When the salinity level exceeds 2‰ and water reserves decrease, from March to May 2026, the province will transport about 39,800 m3 of raw water to 5 water plants to maintain water supply operations.
Regional water resource management
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Anh Tuan - Senior Lecturer of the Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources (Can Tho University), said that changing administrative boundaries will create favorable conditions for synchronous water resource management. However, this also requires management capacity and closer coordination between regions.
Drinking water and domestic water must be guaranteed first," he emphasized.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Anh Tuan recommended promoting non-constructive solutions such as water saving, rainwater storage, water reuse and strengthening communication to help people proactively adapt. At the same time, the Mekong Delta needs to continue to transform agriculture towards "natural advantages", adapting to natural salinity and soil conditions.
