Authorities in the Medong delta province of Hau Giang have banned local authorities from spraying herbicide to the water hyacinth. This fast growing plant has slowly been taking over and blocking waterway traffic on rivers and canals in the area.
Many people breed water hyacinth locally to use for making exportable products such as baskets and furniture. These breeders must also contribute to clearing the weed from the water and remove dredged roots from water by destroying them or throwing them on soil rather than back into the water where they will continue to propagate.
Authorities have been spraying 2-4D to kill the water hyacinth and warned people to stop using the water for 10 days. However many households along the rivers and canals have no other source of clean water and the contaminated water must be used for their daily activities.