About 30km from the center of Mường Tùng commune (Mường Chà district, Điện Biên province), Nậm Cang village lies precariously on a dry mountainside. More than 300 people here have lived for many years in a perpetual water shortage. The whole village relies on a small stream flowing from a ravine nearly 1km away. The water is scarce, and the flow is weak, so people have to carefully allocate the water for bathing, washing vegetables, rinsing rice, and livestock... Every daily activity requires conserving every drop of water, a routine for the locals.

Mùa Thị Di, a resident of Nậm Cang, shared: “It’s not only during the dry season that we lack water, but even during the rainy days, we suffer. When it rains, the water becomes muddy from the soil and rocks, making it undrinkable. During the dry season, the streams dry up, and our daily activities are completely disrupted. It’s bad enough that we don’t have enough water for production, but lacking water for daily living makes life truly difficult every day.”

Not only in the remote highland villages, but even in the center of Mường Chà district, where there is a functioning water plant, the issue of water shortages has become alarming in recent years. During periods of prolonged heat, the water from the streams runs dry, forcing households and various organizations in the town to struggle daily.

Nguyễn Thị Liên, a resident of Ward 8, Mường Chà township, shared: “In the past three years, the water in the streams has gradually dried up due to unpredictable weather. At times, the water flow is so low that we have to use it very sparingly. Water is scarce, and all household activities like cooking, washing dishes, personal hygiene are disrupted and very inconvenient.”

Water shortages are not only a problem during the dry season but also cause inconvenience during the rainy days. In many areas such as Keo Lôm, Xa Dung, Háng Lìa (Điện Biên Đông district); Trung Thu, Lao Xả Phình, Sín Chải, Tả Sìn Thàng (Tủa Chùa district); Rạng Đông, Pú Nhung, Phình Sáng, Pú Xi (Tuần Giáo district); Vàng Đán, Nậm Tin, Na Cô Sa (Nậm Pồ district), the scarcity of clean water is common. During the dry season, streams dry up, and water tanks run dry; during the rainy season, the water is muddy, not sanitary, and cannot be used for daily activities.

Trần Thanh Bình, Deputy Head of the Sub-department of Agriculture and Environment in Tủa Chùa district, said: “The mountainous terrain, steep slopes, along with natural disasters and frequent floods, have caused many water supply systems to be damaged or eroded. Many facilities built a long time ago are now seriously degraded, severely affecting the water supply, especially during hot seasons.”

Water scarcity not only affects daily life but also has a severe impact on agricultural production, especially in highland districts and areas with large-scale reservoirs. Many areas of rice and crops in places like Điện Biên, Mường Nhé, Tủa Chùa, and Điện Biên Đông are struggling with low productivity due to insufficient irrigation water, especially during the dry season.

Lê Văn Thành, a resident of Thanh Yên commune, told: “My family has nearly 1 hectare of vegetables. Unpredictable weather and a sharp drop in groundwater levels have forced us to drill deeper wells, and the cost of pumping, electricity, and gasoline has risen. Previously, we harvested nearly 12 tons per hectare per crop, with an income of around VND 150 million per year. Now, our income has dropped to only one-third.”

Meanwhile, the forest ecosystem, especially the headwater protection forests, is facing strong impacts from climate change and water shortages. During the dry season, many forests in Mường Ảng, Mường Nhé, Tuần Giáo, Nậm Pồ, and Tủa Chùa are on high alert for the risk of fires due to dry vegetation and low humidity levels. Since the beginning of the year, the authorities have issued multiple warnings of extremely high wildfire risk (level V) in several localities in the province.

Diệp Văn Chính, Director of the Mường Nhé Nature Reserve, underlined: “Extreme weather, prolonged heat, combined with the traditional practice of burning fields to clear land by some locals, are the main causes of the increasing risk of forest fires in the area. Even a small mistake in clearing or handling dry vegetation can lead to a wildfire, causing great damage to natural forests, especially headwater protection forests. Therefore, forest protection not only helps prevent forest fires but also plays a crucial role in protecting water resources and maintaining water sources for downstream areas, especially in the context of increasingly extreme climate change.”

In response to the water scarcity situation, the authorities have actively implemented various solutions to protect, exploit, and use water resources effectively. With funding from public investment, national target programs, and social mobilization sources, many centralized water supply projects have been newly constructed, renovated, or expanded.

However, according to statistics, the province currently has 9 centralized clean water supply systems with a total designed capacity of approximately 31,100m3/day, meeting about 67% of the demand for water. Meanwhile, with a population of over 630,000, the province’s estimated water demand is more than 225 million m3 per year. Additionally, more than 1,000 water supply projects in rural areas, mainly managed by local communities, have deteriorated, are inefficient, or lack maintenance funding.

To sustainably protect water resources, in addition to investing in water infrastructure, it is essential to raise awareness and change the behavior of the public regarding water conservation and protection through community-based education activities linked to daily life and schools.