An Giang (VNA) – Phu Quoc Special Zone in the southern province of An Giang is speeding up construction of reservoirs and water plants despite the rainy season to prepare for the APEC 2027 Economic Leaders’ Meeting and address the island’s chronic clean water shortage.
Phu Quoc’s main water supply comes from Duong Dong Reservoir, with a capacity of 5.9 million cu.m, and Duong Dong Water Plant, which can treat 24,000 cu.m of water per day. The system serves Duong Dong, An Thoi and parts of Cua Duong and Duong To, meeting only about 30% of demand.
To improve supplies, the province is investing in two new water supply complexes: Cua Can Reservoir and Water Plant, and Duong Dong 2 Reservoir and Water Plant. The two plants will have a combined capacity of 86,000 cu.m per day.
Le Trung Ho, Vice Chairman of the An Giang provincial People’s Committee, said Phu Quoc’s selection as the host of APEC 2027 was a great honour and a major responsibility. Under a Prime Ministerial decision, 21 key projects have been identified to directly serve the event.
He stressed that water supply projects are essential to the meeting’s technical infrastructure and to residents’ daily lives. They will also help secure the island’s water supply over the longer term.
Cua Can Reservoir , invested in by the provincial Agricultural and Rural Development Project Management Board, will have a capacity of about 7.5 million cu.m and supply around 50,000 cu.m of water per day. It covers approximately 338.12 hectares. Duong Dong 2 Reservoir covers about 96.5 hectares. Both projects must be completed before May 30, 2027.
Construction gathers pace during rainy season
Cua Can Water Plant is designed to process 50,000 cu.m per day. Nguyen Lam Duc Dung, a technical officer at BIWELCO Construction Investment JSC, said the contractor was working to overcome weather-related difficulties and keep the plant on track to begin operations in late March 2027.
As of September 23, construction had reached about 20.5% of the planned workload. Work was underway on plant facilities. Some 4,000 metres of HDPE D560 pipeline was produced. Construction teams were also working on storage tanks, piling for sedimentation and filtration tanks, and the clean-water pumping station.
The next steps include foundation work, excavation for the raw-water pumping station, Larsen sheet piling at the intake, and steel reinforcement for storage tanks and the clean-water pumping station.
Worker Ho Quoc Cuong said the team was striving to meet the company’s schedule. As the site is far from residential areas, the company has provided accommodation and meals to help workers focus on the job.
Duong Dong 2 Water Plant, with a designed capacity of 36,000 cu.m per day, is undergoing site levelling and related land procedures. Trial piling has been completed, earthworks for two storage tanks have been finished, and 15.4km of the planned 33km pipeline has been installed, reaching 47.4%. The project is also due for completion before May 30, 2027.
An Giang authorities are translating directives by central agencies into specific schedules and responsibilities, implementing the Prime Minister’s Decisions No. 948/QD-TTg and No. 1679/QD-TTg. National Assembly Resolution No. 41/2026/QH16, effective from September 1, provides special mechanisms for planning, public investment, construction, land, acceptance, and payment to accelerate APEC-related projects.
The province is applying a “six clear” approach, assigning clear responsibilities, tasks, timelines and accountability, alongside a fast-track process for APEC-related paperwork. Provincial leaders are conducting regular site inspections and specialist meetings to resolve obstacles while ensuring quality, safety and transparency./.