The water supply, sanitation and urban renewal (WASH) sector is one of the main areas of intervention of the Italian Development Cooperation Agency in Vietnam. The number of Vietnamese households with access to safe water is increasing every year, reaching 78% in 2019. By contrast, 91% of the population has access to basic water resources and non-potable water. At the end of 2017, there were 41 centralised wastewater treatment plants with a total capacity of 950,000 m . The ratio of wastewater collected to treated is 12%. Over the past decade, national authorities have initiated several policies related to the implementation of SDG 6 ‘Clean Water and Sanitation’, such as the National Water Resources Strategy to 2030 (with a vision to 2045) the National Strategy on Clean Water and Sanitation in Rural Areas by 2030, with a vision to 2045, and the National Strategy on Irrigation to 2030 (with a vision to 2045). Although the Socialist Republic of Vietnam ranks among the South-East Asian countries with the best performance in terms of economic and social indicators, there are still some needs related to the country’s strong economic growth, environmental impact and the water requirements of a rapidly growing population.
The intervention of the Italian Cooperation in Vietnam aims to support the Vietnamese Government in guaranteeing rural and urban communities better access to water and sanitation, and in promoting sustainable socio-economic development. Five initiatives are currently underway with the objectives of ensuring the availability of water for drinking and irrigation purposes and guaranteeing the adequate collection and management of domestic and stormwater wastewater with the dual aim of mitigating environmental impact and reducing flood risks. Interventions in the WASH sector account for about half of the cooperation portfolio in Vietnam, with funding of over EUR 68 million in aid credits and grants, including Vietnamese co-financing.
The initiatives
Water Supply in Binh Thuan Province: The objectives of the initiative are to improve the supply of drinking water for Ham Thuan Bac District and the supply of water for irrigation in Bac Binh District. In detail, the activities include the construction of an aqueduct (approximately 176 km) and a 10,000 m³/day water treatment system in Ham Thuan Bac district, and the construction of a 14.8 million m³ reservoir, connected to a 7.8 km canal for irrigation of 1,500 ha, in Ca Tot locality in Bac Binh district.
Risanamento urbano di Nui Thanh, Quang Nam: l’iniziativa mira a migliorare la qualità della vita e le condizioni di salute della popolazione di Nui Thanh, nella provincia di Quang Nam, con la costruzione di una rete fognaria con relativo allacciamento delle utenze, la realizzazione di un impianto di trattamento delle acque reflue e il supporto alla municipalità di Nui Than nel miglioramento del sistema di gestione dei rifiuti solidi.
Urban remediation of the city of Ca Mau: the aim of the initiative is to improve the efficiency of the control of rainwater collection and wastewater treatment in the urban area of Ca Mau, in order to prevent and control overflows caused by floods, especially during periods of heavy rainfall, through the construction of a rainwater drainage system consisting of 55 km of new drainage channels and 6 new pumping stations, and of a wastewater treatment system consisting of 79 km of water transport channels, 13 pumping stations, and a treatment plant with a capacity of 8,000 m³/day.
The new system of collection and treatment of wastewater for the city of Tay Ninh: the aim of the initiative is to improve the urban sanitation conditions of the city of Tay Ninh. The activities include the construction of a sewerage system for 4 districts of the city of Tay Ninh, a wastewater treatment plant with a capacity of 5,000 m³/day and the technical training of the staff responsible for managing the entire system.