[Explanation] In the Lancang River-Mekong River Basin, some rural areas in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and other countries are in serious shortage of water supply facilities, and the problems of engineering water shortage and water quality water shortage are prominent.
How does the Chinese team bring "sweet springs" to the rural residents of the Lancang-Mekong River?
On March 22, on the occasion of World Water Day, the reporter walked into the China Academy of Water Resources and Hydropower Science and listened to the "Lanmei Ganquan Action" technical team telling their stories.
[Concurrent] Wu Xiaomei, Director of Rural Water Supply and Drainage Research Office, China Academy of Water Resources and Hydropower Sciences
In the six Lancang-Mekong countries, except China, the current situation of rural water supply in other countries, Thailand and Vietnam are slightly better. For Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, the development infrastructure of their rural water supply is still relatively weak.
Although water resources are relatively abundant, due to the uneven distribution of time and space, there is engineering water shortage, and there is no corresponding water purification and disinfection facilities in place, which leads to a prominent water quality problem.
[Explanation] The "Lanmei Ganquan Action" was officially launched in early 2020. It is expected that by the end of 2022, 8-9 centralized water supply demonstration projects and more than 50 decentralized water supply demonstration projects will be completed in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and other countries.
[Explanation] To improve drinking water conditions, it is necessary to build local water intake points, reservoirs and water supply pipelines, and support water purification facilities and equipment.
However, a sudden epidemic made the technical team encounter unimaginable difficulties, and could only complete on-site survey, equipment installation and commissioning and on-site training through remote video.
[Concurrent] Jia Yannan, Senior Engineer, China Water Resources and Hydropower Research Institute
In the original plan, we must make arrangements to go abroad 3-5 times a year and implement them on site.
However, because it is impossible to pass, we have to rely on local Chinese-funded companies or relevant local foreign institutions to implement these matters.
For example, we built a demonstration project in Mengwei County, Luang Prabang Province, Laos. There may be some problems with the quality of the factory water being tested for the first time.
In drinking water disinfection, how to control the amount of dosing, local personnel lack some experience.
Therefore, the description of the related operations is further refined.
The water quality problem just mentioned has been solved, and a big stone in our hearts has also fallen to the ground.
[Explanation] By the end of 2021, the project team has built more than 20 demonstration sites of rural water supply security technology in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and other countries, which will ensure the drinking water safety of about 7,000 residents after completion.
Jia Yannan said that although he did not arrive at the scene, from the smiling faces of the villagers in the video, he could feel the changes brought by China's water purification equipment to their lives.
[Concurrent] Jia Yannan, Senior Engineer, China Water Resources and Hydropower Research Institute
During the interview with them, we also learned that the villagers feel that the drinking water and sanitation conditions have been greatly improved. By drinking clean drinking water, the probability of water-related illnesses has been greatly reduced.
Also, because they save the labor intensity of fetching water, they have more time to develop the economy, including some garden planting or some livestock and poultry breeding, the (improved) ratio may be around 80%.
[Explanation] The significance of "Lanmei Ganquan Operation" is more than that.
Wu Xiaomei said that as a personal participant, for the first time, she felt the close connection with the Lancang-Mekong countries.
In the future, as water conservancy technicians, they will continue to actively participate in the Lancang-Mekong cooperation.
[Concurrent] Wu Xiaomei, Director of Rural Water Supply and Drainage Research Office, China Academy of Water Resources and Hydropower Sciences
From the point of view of origin, we do drink the same water from the same river. From some living habits, many local habits are actually similar to those in our southern region, especially the current situation of rural water supply. Before the implementation of the drinking water safety plan, it was relatively similar.
Therefore, in the process of implementation, we feel that we also put some of our experience and even some lessons into local use.
If there is an opportunity in the future, of course, we still hope to actively participate in more and more in-depth cooperation, bring our Chinese technology in, and also make a little bit for the common cooperation and sustainable development of our (Lancang-Mekong) region. small contribution.
Reporter Wang Shibo reports from Beijing
Responsible editor: [Liu Xian]