HCM CITY — Flood-prevention projects in HCM City will require an additional expenditure of at least VNĐ72 trillion (US$3.22 billion) over the next five years, according to a report from the city’s Department of Planning and Investment.

The city has already received capital of VNĐ23 trillion ($1.03 billion) for flood-prevention projects under construction.

The projects under construction are the Bình Hưng wastewater treatment plant, the Nhiêu Lộc-Thị Nghè wastewater treatment plant and the Tham Lương-Bến Cát wastewater treatment plant.

For upcoming flood-prevention projects, the city needs more funds, which are expected to come from Official Development Assistance (ODA), the State budget, the State Capital Investment Corporation and the business community.

The city said it could only allocate VNĐ6.96 trillion ($312 million) from its budget for upcoming flood-prevention projects.

For other funds, the city expects to receive VNĐ36.42 trillion ($1.63 billion) in ODA, which will be used to dredge two canals and build four wastewater treatment plants over the period.

The 32 km-long Tham Lương-Bến Cát-Nước Lên Canal will be rehabilitated and dredged to improve water drainage in its 14,500-hectare basin. ODA funds are also expected to be used for the third phase of the Tàu Hủ-Bến Nghé-Đôi-Tẻ Canal improvement project.  

The four wastewater treatment plants (Tân Hóa-Lò Gốm, Western Sài Gòn, Northern Sài Gòn 1 and Bình Tân) are also expected to receive ODA funds.

The city also hopes to raise VNĐ16.35 trillion ($733.13 million) from the business community and other sources for upcoming projects. Of that amount, VNĐ10 trillion ($448.4 million) would be used for construction of six sluices that would control flood tides.

The investors would receive land in return for their capital contributions in the sluice projects. 

For other upcoming flood control projects, the city expects to receive funding from the State budget (VNĐ2.2 trillion or $98.91 million) and the State Capital Investment Corporation (VNĐ10 trillion).

In addition, the city is looking for additional funds for projects such as the Gò Dưa and Khánh Hội reservoirs, and a project to dredge Xuyên Tâm Canal.

Upgrading infrastructure

Apart from the five-year plan, the HCM City Centre of Urban Flood Prevention is also continuing to work on infrastructure plans to meet the urgent demand for water drainage.

For example, it plans to complete the installation of monitoring systems for the Nhiêu Lộc-Thị Nghè Canal and water drainage in the basin of Tân Hóa-Lò Gốm Canal.

The city is also using new technologies for water drainage and wastewater treatment projects.

City authorities have asked the centre to dredge 18 polluted water and drainage canals in Hóc Môn and 12 districts by the end of the year. It has also required the centre to transport dirt and waste from the canals in an organised and clean manner. 

HCM City has more than 5,000 km of rivers, water channels and canals.

After decades of development, the city has only been able to dredge and rehabilitate about 80km of the waterways. — VNS