A Vietnam–Germany cooperation project is set to pump water from the Seo Ho hydropower plant’s reservoir in Ha Giang to serve local demand, as heard during a workshop held in the northernmost mountainous province on July 20.

Implemented since 2010, the KawaTech project will run through August 2016 in a bid to pilot sustainable use of water resources among the communities living in Dong Van town and areas surrounding the Dong Van Karst Plateau.

Water shortage is a pressing issue in the Dong Van Karst Plateau – which encompasses Dong Van, Meo Vac and Yen Minh districts – largely due to short concentrated rainfall and water bodies located between 600 and 800 metres underneath settlement areas. Rivers and ground water could be an effective solution if the conveying altitudes and distances could be managed.

After carefully exploring the localities, project scientists decided to install a system utilising water from the local Seo Ho hydropower plant’s reservoir. With help from advanced technology, the facility is capable of pumping water to higher areas – up to 700 metres. It is expected to provide an average of approximately 1,700 cubic metres per day once operational.

The source will supply residents with part of its water output during the rainy season and all throughout dry season when the plant is not operational.

The project has been coordinated by the Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources, the Water Resources University, the Ha Giang People’s Committee and five German partners.-VNA