In coastal communes of Dong Thap province, it is not difficult to see images of large plastic tanks placed in front of houses, rows of bamboo beds neatly arranged on the porch. Many households also invest in building solid cement tanks, installing rainwater collection systems to maximize natural water sources in the rainy season.
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Khanh (resident of Tan Phu Dong commune, Dong Thap province) said that his family has invested in 5 2,000-liter tanks to store water. This year, hearing the saltwater forecast, his family stored water from the end of the rainy season. Domestic water needs to be carefully calculated, not daring to use it comfortably as before.
Not only storing, our family also changed our water use habits in the direction of maximum thrift. In addition, clearly divide water sources for living and production. Water stored in tanks is prioritized for drinking and cooking, while pond water and river water when still low in salinity are used for bathing and washing," Mr. Khanh said.
As for the fruit tree area in Dong Thap province, before the forecast of saltwater intrusion in 2026, farmers here have proactively stored fresh water to irrigate crops. Besides storing fresh water in field ditches, people also cover a layer of grass and leaves on the ground to limit water evaporation, help prevent the soil from drying up and cracking, and invest in automatic sprinkler systems to water crops to save water.
Mr. Pham Ngoc Dien (Binh Phu commune, Dong Thap province) said that before the forecast of functional agencies about saltwater intrusion that may occur after the Binh Ngo Tet 2026, his family has stored fresh water in rice ditches to serve irrigation. In addition, he also covered a layer of grass and leaves on the ground to limit water evaporation, helping the soil not to dry out and crack. At the same time, investing in automatic sprinkler systems to water plants to save water.
Mr. Le Van Phuoc Lac - Director of Phu An Agricultural Service Cooperative - said that currently the Cooperative has 410ha of durian and 70ha of jackfruit that have been granted planting area codes for export.
According to Mr. Lac, farmers here have experience in coping with saltwater intrusion. Therefore, when there is a notice from the local government, farmers have proactively stored fresh water in ditches, canals, lakes... to water crops when saltwater intrusion occurs. In addition, this area also has a system of culverts or dams to prevent saltwater intrusion, so people are also very reassured.
According to information from the People's Committee of Dong Thap province, it is forecast that in the 2025–2026 dry season, saltwater intrusion may affect production in the sweetened area of Go Cong, expanded Bao Dinh, flood control area and fruit orchards in the Southwest of Dong Thap province. At the same time, there is a potential risk of domestic water shortage for people downstream.
Faced with that situation, the province has developed a response plan. When the salinity exceeds 250 mg/liter, backup drilled wells will be operated, supplementing fresh water supply for factories in the area. At the same time, open faucets and public water tanks to serve free of charge people in deep areas, outside dikes, who have not yet accessed centralized water supply systems.
