Water prices continue to increase
According to Decision No. 08/2023/QD-UBND dated March 7, 2023 of the Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee, the selling price of clean water for domestic use is adjusted according to the roadmap from 2023 to 2025.
In Buon Ma Thuot city, the domestic water price in 2023 is 10,710 VND/m3; in 2024 it will increase to 12,600 VND/m3; by 2025, it is expected to reach 14,900 VND/m3.
Dak Lak Water Supply Joint Stock Company (Dakwaco) is the main domestic water supply unit for people in Buon Ma Thuot city, with an output of about 50,000m3 per day.
Faced with this development, many people in Buon Ma Thuot city expressed their anger. Ms. Le Thi Kim Mai, in Tan Hoa ward, Buon Ma Thuot city, shared: My family uses 9m3 of water per month, currently having to pay more than 160,000 VND (including taxes and fees).
While in 2022, with the same amount of use, it only cost about 80,000 VND/month. After 3 years, water prices have almost doubled. Income remains unchanged and costs are getting higher and higher.
Unreasonable domestic water prices
Through research, on November 29, 2022, the Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee issued a Decision (No. 2653/QD-UBND) approving the roadmap for adjusting retail prices of Dakwaco's clean water for domestic use in the period of 2023-2025.
Accordingly, in 2023, the increase will be 15% compared to the previous year; in 2024, the accumulated increase will be 35%; in 2025, the accumulated increase will be 60%.
However, in the approved water price structure, the cost of purchasing commercial water and raw water accounts for about 8.3% of the total cost of clean water production.
Meanwhile, according to confirmation from the Dak Lak Provincial Department of Finance (Document No. 1232/STC-QLGCS&TCDN dated March 23, 2025), Dakwaco is no longer buying water from units such as Buon Ma Thuot Water Supply Company Limited, Dat Ly Water Supply Joint Stock Company or exploiting raw water at Ea Sup Ha Lake and Nam Hong - Hop Thanh Lake.
Therefore, the Department of Finance proposes that Dakwaco excluding 8.3% of the price of clean water from the previously issued price structure.
According to the investigation, from January 1, 2025, Dakwaco arbitrarily terminated the water purchase contract with Buon Ma Thuot Water Supply Company Limited, although the contract between the two parties is still valid until 2038.
This requires the immediate exclusion of 8.3% of the cost of water purchased from the clean water price structure.
In reality, from the beginning of 2024 until now, many households in Buon Ma Thuot city still have to pay for water at the old price, not excluding the cost of buying water outside, which is unreasonable.
Regarding this incident, the Department of Finance of Dak Lak province said that the unit will advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue a decision to adjust the selling price of clean water in Buon Ma Thuot city and other areas to suit the actual situation, ensuring the legitimate rights of the people.
As Lao Dong has reported, many people in Buon Ma Thuot city are lacking clean water during the dry season.
Meanwhile, the Cu Kuin district inter-commune water supply project and the addition of domestic water sources (pipedal water) to Buon Ma Thuot city only operate at 15-20% capacity, causing great waste.
Mr. Le Quoc Nam - Director of Buon Ma Thuot Water Supply Company Limited (investor of the above project) said: "We accept selling water at a loss to Dakwaco only to maintain operations and pay bank interest but were refused even though the two sides had signed a contract. Investing in large factories but using them is a waste."
