Salinity arrives sooner than expected in Mekong Delta
Locals in Ben Tre Province are storing freshwater as saltwater intrudes into canals and rivers at levels higher than seen in previous years.
Last weekend, Vo Thi Ngoc Anh, 50, a resident in Binh Dai District of Ben Tre, switched to bottled water for cooking instead of using tap water.
“The running water has been tasting salty for two weeks now and I could not use it for cooking,” she said.
The water plant in Long Dinh Commune, where Anh lives, gets its water from branches of the Mekong River for processing and this year, salt intrusion arrived sooner than expected.
She said her family has also stored more than 10 cubic meters of rainwater for family use in addition to buying bottled water.
Hoang Nam
