VietNamNet Bridge – The HCM City People’s Committee has ordered the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to tighten restrictions and ban the exploitation of underground water resources, especially in areas where tap water is available.

If the HCM City exploits an additional 200,000cu.m of ground water a day, the land will sink by 0.5cm after 28 years.

It forecasts that if the city exploits an additional 200,000cu.m of ground water a day, the land will sink by 0.5cm after 28 years.

Furthermore, overexploitation of underground water resources and improper exploitation techniques will also lead to pollution.

About 120,000 households have dug bore-wells to exploit underground water for daily use since they cannot access tap water supplied by the municipality.

Tap water

The Sai Gon Water Corporation (Sawaco) now supplies tap water to about 76 per cent of the city’s total households.

However, because it uses an old supply system, it loses a very high volume to leaks, with last year’s loss estimated at 38 per cent.

To reduce this, Sawaco estimates that it needs about VND1.8 trillion (US$109 million) to replace dilapidated water pipes.

Sawaco also needs hundreds of billions of dong to invest in water meters and other facilities for expanding its network to more areas.

This year the city has decided to allot $10 million for Sawaco to upgrade and develop its water supply network.

The city People’s Committee has also ordered the Department of Transport to work with departments of Architecture and Planning, Natural Resources and Environment and Sawaco, and come up with a general zoning plan until 2025 for supplying tap water to residents.

(Source: Viet Nam News)