The Thu Duc water plant, built in 1966 in Thu Duc District and operated by the Thu Duc Water Supply Company, supplies around 850,000 cubic meters of potable water every day.

"The plant is a large-scale, state-owned structure which provides water for millions of families in HCMC, and the fact that it is located in the proximity of a 500 kV national electric grid means the area needs to be strictly secured," a representative of the ministry’s Mobile Police High Command said.

The suggestion is part of the ministry’s suggested amendments to Decree 37 regarding important structures that need police protection.

Last month, the capital city of Hanoi faced a grave water crisis after a 2.5 ton tanker dumped used oil into a creek in Hoa Binh Province that feeds into the Da River, water source for the Vinaconex Water Supply Joint Stock Company (Viwasupco), which supplies potable water to 250,000 families or one eighth of Hanoi's population in southwestern Hanoi.

Residents then detected an unpleasant, pungent odor in their tap water. Tests of the smelly water by authorities later found that the level of styrene, an organic compound that is probably carcinogenic, was 1.3-3.6 times higher than normal. 

Hanoi authorities later warned residents that they should not use the water for drinking or cooking with, only for other purposes like washing clothes and bathing. The administration on October 22 announced that the water was safe for drinking and cooking with, 14 days after the incident occurred.

Hanoi has requested Hoa Binh Province to employ additional security measures to protect the water sources, including installing cameras near streams and installing automatic water quality monitoring systems.