A worker checks equipment at the Thủ Đức Water Supply Factory in HCM City. The city aims to continue to provide clean water to all of its residents. — VNA/VNS Photo Ngọc Hà

HCM CITY — HCM City has asked its departments and enterprises to carry out measures to prevent water pollution, groundwater exploitation and lack of clean water for local use.

City authorities said that clean, safe water would continue to be supplied to all city households in every district. 

Under its plan for 2020-2025, the city targets increasing the average supply of water per capita per day by 165 litres and reducing tap water leakage rate to 15 per cent.

By 2025, the municipal water supply capacity would reach 3.6 million cu.m per day, using only 100,000 cu.m of groundwater.

The city People's Committee said that works on clean water projects in new urban and residential areas must not cause any inconvenience to residents.

Water supply works in industrial parks and other business establishments must be closely monitored to prevent groundwater exploitation.

The city’s Department of Construction plans to issue regulations and guidelines on the provision of clean water supply.

The department is also in charge of inspections, risk management, and preparations for incidents or disasters related to water supply and water security.

As for domestic water quality, the Department of Health must devise local technical regulations in accordance with national standards.

The city has asked its Department of Natural Resources and Environment to set up a water protection corridor, carry out inspections and deal with violations.

In addition, the Department of Planning and Investment has been asked to prioritise and call for investment in a clean water supply system for the city.

The State-owned Saigon Water Corporation (SAWACO), Saigon Water Infrastructure Corporation, and other water supply units have been urged to use modern technology.

Enterprises have also been asked to install water monitoring systems that connect to the online supervision portal of the Ministry of Construction.

SAWACO, the city's largest tap water supplier, said its water supply capacity has reached 2.4 million cu.m per day, meeting local demand.

In the past five years, SAWACO invested VNĐ12 trillion (US$520 million) to upgrade its water supply system, covering 2.1 million households in HCM City.

Dương Hồng Nhân, chairman of the membership board of SAWACO, said the tap-water leakage rate in 2020 was 18.2 per cent, down by 12.23 per cent compared to 2015.

According to Dr Nguyễn Hồng Tiến, vice chairman and general secretary of Vietnam Water Supply, the output of all water plants in Việt Nam had reached 10.6-10.9 million cu.m per day.

Around 89-90 per cent of urban residents have access to tap water, while the wastewater treatment rate has hit 1.2 million cu.m per day, Tiến added. — VNS