People use unreasonable water prices
On April 14, the Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee held a regular press conference for April 2025.
At the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Cong Dinh - Deputy General Director of Dak Lak Water Supply Joint Stock Company (Dakwaco) and representatives of the Department of Finance were invited by the Provincial People's Committee to respond to the content of the article: "Clarifying the unusually high price of clean water in Dak Lak" by Lao Dong Newspaper.
Here, Mr. Dinh cited a series of documents and decisions of the Provincial People's Committee related to the roadmap for increasing water prices... Mr. Dinh affirmed that the enterprise collects water bills from people in Buon Ma Thuot in accordance with current regulations.
Regarding this issue, Lao Dong Newspaper has published many articles reflecting unreasonable water prices. Because in Dakwaco's water price structure, 8.3% of this unit buys water from other partners. However, in the past, Dakwaco has not bought water from outside units.
Although Dakwaco did not buy water, it did not excluding 8.3% of the price of clean water from the previously issued price structure.
Thus, with many households in Buon Ma Thuot city having to pay for water at the old price, it is unreasonable, even being "squeezed".
Issuing regulations on replacement water prices
Regarding this issue, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Ha - Permanent Vice Chairman of Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee - said that when discovering that Dakwaco no longer buys water from partners, the Department of Finance must immediately intervene to handle it.
In this matter, the department was slow to resolve. The Provincial People's Committee reminded the Department of Finance to show signs of bureaucracy when allowing people to show signs of buying water at unreasonable prices from businesses.
"The Department of Finance must quickly review water prices in previous years in the area. At the same time, the unit must urgently go to check and review whether there are signs of unusual water bill collection or not. If any, it must be returned to the State," added the Standing Vice Chairman of the Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee.
A representative of the Dak Lak Provincial Department of Finance informed that the unit has issued many documents requesting Dakwaco to review and excluding from the cost of the clean water price structure according to regulations.
The Department is coordinating with relevant units to establish a team to inspect the implementation of clean water sales by enterprises. Based on the inspection results, the Department of Finance will advise the Provincial People's Committee on a handling plan.
Also on May 14, Acting Chairman of Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thien Van signed a document on handling the Department of Construction's problems in appraising Dakwaco's clean water price plan.
The Department of Construction shall preside over, based on the content and opinions of the Department of Finance, based on the assigned functions, tasks, and authority and relevant legal provisions, research, coordinate, and implement.
Units urgently advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue regulations on the selling price of clean water for daily use in Dak Lak province to replace the decision issued in 2023. In case of delay, to arise related problems, the Department of Construction is responsible to the Provincial People's Committee.
Previously, Lao Dong Newspaper had many articles reflecting that in the past 3 years, the price of domestic water in Buon Ma Thuot city has continuously increased, causing frustration among people.
According to the Dak Lak Provincial Department of Finance, Dak Lak Water Supply Joint Stock Company (Dakwaco) is no longer buying water from outside. Therefore, the Department of Finance proposes that Dakwaco excluding 8.3% of the price of clean water from the previously issued price structure.
However, 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 as unreasonable.
Dakwaco is also using and operating many water pipeline projects and infrastructure invested by the State for free to do business and make a profit. These items have not been added to the equitization plan to increase the proportion of State capital contribution in enterprises (still at 36%).
In particular, the Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee has met to discuss and agree to transfer the case related to financial problems in the process of equitizing Dakwaco to the Provincial Police for consideration and handling in accordance with legal regulations.
