Construction of a water purification system in the village of Tan-Do, Vietnam

The Air Liquide Foundation is supporting the construction of a water pumping and filtration station to eliminate contaminated water in the village of Tan-Do.

As many as 20,000 people die each year in Vietnam due to water contamination, according to the figures published by WHO in 2008. About 40% of the rural populations do not have access to drinking water, and this figure reaches 87% for ethnic minorities.

The 1,500 inhabitants of the village of Tan-Do mostly live on rice cultivation, crafts and small-scale chicken farms. For the last few years, the liquid waste from pig farming has been directly poured into rivers and ponds, and has polluted certain springs. The village has seen a sharp increase in the number of illnesses and deaths caused by this pollution.

This project, which the Air Liquide Foundation is contributing to, consists in building and operating a pumping and filtration station that will supply drinking water to the inhabitants of Tan-Do. In addition, the project will create jobs because the facility will require in the longer term the hiring of seven people for its operation. The self-financing and durability of the project is ensured by the sale of water at a modest price, permitting salaries to be paid and the installation to be maintained.