Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam is facing aworsening urban water environment amid a growing urban population, rising watersupply and drainage demand, and unplanned construction.

By the end of 2016, Vietnam had 802 cities,including the two special metropolises of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. 

Under plans for city development, about 44million people will live in cities nationwide by 2020, 45 percent of thecountry’s population. The figure is set to reach 52 million by 2025, half ofthe total population.

There are now 37 wastewater treatment plants incities with total capacity of 890,000 cubic metres a day, or 13 percent of thereleased wastewater, according to the Ministry of Construction.

Urban water drainage facilities areincomprehensive as they were built in different periods of time. Some sewersystems are also dilapidated, resulting in poor drainage capacity.

While many sewers are not big enough, concretecanals and ditches have also hampered water drainage. As a result, Ho Chi MinhCity and Hanoi are often flooded after heavy rains. Cities like Da Nang, CanTho, Quy Nhon, Hai Phong and Nha Trang which rarely flooded in the past nowalso face frequent flooding.

A large volume of untreated wastewater is beingreleased into the environment since many treatment facilities are unfinished.In many cities, few houses are connected with the local drainage network.

Meanwhile, the expansion of industrial parks hasalso led to an increase of wastewater. Water pollution in rivers, lakes andcanals due to wastewater from industrial activities or craft villages isreportedly getting worse.

The water quality of rivers like Cau, Nhue, Dayand Dong Nai is poor, seriously affecting the water supply for many cities. 

According to the Centre for EnvironmentalMonitoring under the Vietnam Environment Administration, the water of the NhueRiver is only suitable for waterway transport while the water of the Day River,despite being better than the Nhue River, can only be used for irrigation.

In 2014, the Government issued Decree 80/2014 onwater drainage and wastewater treatment which encourages the reuse of rainwaterto help reduce flooding and the exploitation of underground and surface water.Those who want to invest in rainwater treatment and reuse technologies will beassisted with soft loans.

The Ministry of Construction also inked a dealwith the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism toenhance collaboration in wastewater-related systems.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency isalso carrying out projects on improving the water environment in cities such asHanoi, HCM City, Hai Phong, Da Nang, and Hue.-VNA