Việt Nam will need to invest US$20-30 billion on water supply and drainage to make sure that 100 per cent of the population has access to clean water, according to experts.The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment forecasts that water use demand by 2030 is about 122.47 billion cubic metre per year.Urban development, discharge of untreated industrial wastewater, and use of fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture, are putting great pressure on river basins, affecting clean water sources. This is particularly the case for large cities where clean water sources are a concern.Chairman of the Vietnam Water Supply and Sewerage Association Nguyễn Ngọc Điệp said Việt Nam is a water-abundant country but it still confronts many issues as a result of climate change, including saltwater intrusion, floods and drought.Water use in agricultural production, along with thousands of irrigation and hydroelectric dams that ensure water source security pose deterioration and potential safety risks.The online system for monitoring water consumption and exploitation will be maintained and operated by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for approximately 600 projects by 2024. Additionally, it has encouraged the creation and use of digital maps for drought warning and forecasting.Public health has been impacted by water contamination, and socioeconomic growth has decreased. As this is happening, the majority of wastewater in Việt Nam is not treated before release into the environment.The country has nearly 410 industrial parks using and treating wastewater with a capacity of 400,000cu.m per day and night.There are 71 drainage and wastewater treatment enterprises operating 82 wastewater treatment plants.Despite having a design capacity of one million cubic metres per day, the plants have only been used to a capacity of roughly 700,000cu.m per day.The real wastewater collection rate is only about 60 per cent, and the treatment rate is only 17 per cent of the approximately 80 operational wastewater treatment projects, each having a capacity of more than two million cubic meters per day and night.Senior water economist at the World Bank Halla Maher Qaddumi said Việt Nam might lose 6 per cent of its GDP every year until 2035. Water pollution alone may cause a drop of 3.5 per cent of GDP.To resolve issues in the water sector, the World Bank said attracting investments from the private sector should be done to replace old infrastructure. To attract investments, the government needs to have strong financial policies and legal frameworks, Halla said. (ICE HO CHI MINH CITY)

Fonte notizia: Vietnam News