Mekong Delta residents build tanks and water bags to combat drought

Residents in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam are constructing concrete tanks and large plastic bags to store fresh water before the 2026-27 dry season.

Many households in areas like Thanh Quoi Commune in Can Tho City use these methods to secure water for cooking, washing, and irrigation as they face threats from severe drought and saltwater intrusion. Duy Linh and his family built three concrete tanks with a combined capacity of 25 cubic meters to provide a year-round water supply.

Other residents, such as Thien Thuat, use smaller plastic tanks to manage daily household activities. These storage solutions allow families to avoid using polluted canal water or relying on limited municipal supplies during the dry months. Farmers in the Binh Hoa Phuoc Rambutan Cooperative are also adapting by dredging canals and strengthening embankments to block salt water. Because closing sluice gates can also trap farmers without fresh water, Ngoc Nhan, the cooperative head, advised members to store water early.

Some farmers create large bags from white plastic sheeting and place them in garden canals to act as reservoirs for fruit trees. Pham Van Nhut in Vinh Long Province is preparing for the upcoming season by cleaning water bags his family purchased in 2016. He also planned to skip a crop after the Lunar New Year to avoid the peak of the drought.

While these measures help, Nhut noted that stored water might still be insufficient if saltwater intrusion persists for a long period.