Improving the efficiency of water resource management.

Việt Nam•22/03/2024

Exploiting and utilizing resources rationally.

According to Phan Van Cuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the province is implementing many solutions to contribute to strengthening the management of water resources. The province is investing in and upgrading water supply systems in the area to better serve the needs of people and businesses.

At the same time, the province is developing a plan and roadmap to seal off boreholes in key industrial districts with centralized water supply systems, ensuring water quality and flow while maintaining and protecting groundwater resources in accordance with regulations.

The province is investing in and upgrading water supply systems to meet the needs of domestic and industrial water supply (In the photo: The water supply plant in Hamlet 1, Thanh Tri Commune, Kien Tuong Town, received an investment of over 7 billion VND).

Over the years, in Thanh Tri commune, Kien Tuong town, people have gradually changed their habit of storing water in jars or utilizing water from canals and ditches. Instead, they are registering to use water from the centralized water supply system to ensure their health.

Mr. Tran Thanh Liem (Hamlet 1, Thanh Tri Commune) shared: “Using clean, safe drinking water is extremely important. When the water treatment plant in the hamlet was completed, I registered to use it. The water is clean and strong, so I feel confident using it.”

Mr. Tran Thanh Liem (Hamlet 1, Thanh Tri Commune, Kien Tuong Town) uses water from the centralized water supply system, ensuring quality and flow, thus protecting his health.

According to the Chairman of the People's Committee of Kien Tuong town, Nguyen Van Vu, the town allocates resources annually to invest in and upgrade the water supply system. The town calls for resources and encourages people to install and connect to centralized water supply pipelines.

From there, the basic needs for domestic water supply for both residents and businesses were met. The town continued to review, adjust, and update water supply content; and promote awareness of the importance of clean water for human life and socio-economic development.

The town is developing a plan to protect the environment, water sources, and water supply infrastructure; and is calling on everyone to use clean water economically, sustainably, and in a way that adapts to climate change.

In addition, the town is repairing, renovating, upgrading, and expanding existing centralized clean water supply facilities (focusing on upgrading water quality treatment technology, increasing capacity, expanding the water supply network, and stabilizing water sources under the impact of natural disasters and climate change).

Many water treatment plants using surface water have come into operation, effectively exploiting and utilizing water resources, contributing to the protection of groundwater resources in the area. (In the photo: Provincial leaders visiting Hoa Khanh Tay Water Treatment Plant, Duc Hoa district)

Another important highlight in the province's water resource management is encouraging non-budgetary resources to invest in surface water projects. Many surface water exploitation and utilization projects have been completed and put into operation in the province, such as the Hoa Khanh Tay Water Supply Plant (Duc Hoa district), the Nhi Thanh Water Plant (Thu Thua district), etc.

These projects not only leverage the strengths of surface water resources in supplying water for the domestic and industrial needs of people and businesses, but also make a practical contribution to protecting groundwater in the province.

According to Tran Tan Loi, representative of Nhi Thanh Water Plant in Thu Thua district, the project utilizes 100% surface water sources. After treatment, it provides clean water for domestic and industrial use to several localities in the area through distribution units, with a designed capacity of 60,000 ^m³ /day and night, and a reserve capacity of up to 80,000 ^m³ /day and night.

The project not only concretizes the policies of the Government and the province, but also contributes to preserving and protecting underground water resources throughout the area, reducing land subsidence, and limiting saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta.

We continue to focus all resources on deploying and completing the investment in expanding water supply pipeline networks in accordance with the set policy and schedule to provide water for domestic and production needs, ensuring infrastructure to attract investment, develop the economy , and contribute to ensuring social welfare for people in the province.

Synchronize management solutions

According to Mr. Phan Van Cuong, the water resource management process has received regular attention and guidance from provincial and local leaders, as well as enthusiastic support and guidance from the Department of Water Resources Management.

The close and timely coordination among relevant departments, agencies, and localities in assessing and determining sanitary protection zones, financial obligations regarding exploitation rights fees, resource taxes, and environmental protection fees, etc., for each application for water resource exploitation and use permits, contributes to improving the efficiency of water resource management.

Water resource management has basically become more organized, and the procedures for granting licenses for water resource exploitation and use have been reviewed, updated, and publicly announced in a timely manner. The processing of license applications and applications for calculating fees for water resource exploitation rights must be simultaneous and in accordance with current laws and regulations on water resources.

Recently, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has strengthened coordination with relevant agencies and units in the assessment and licensing of water resources, in the review and collection of fees for water resource exploitation rights, and in the management and handling of unlicensed and unregistered water wells, etc.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment continues to inspect, urge, and remind water resource exploitation enterprises to install equipment and connect to automatic, online monitoring data for water resource exploitation and utilization facilities.

The Department coordinates with relevant agencies and units to fill in damaged or unused wells; inspects, urges, and reminds water resource exploitation enterprises to install equipment and connect to automatic, online monitoring data for water resource exploitation and utilization facilities. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment advises on the development and promulgation of legal documents on water resources in the area.

However, currently, water resource management in the area still faces certain obstacles and limitations. To improve the effectiveness of this field and contribute to the efficient and sustainable protection, exploitation, and use of water resources in the area, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment proposes several solutions for the future.

The Provincial People's Committee's Staff Department recommends that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment promptly finalize and issue decrees and circulars guiding the implementation of the 2023 Water Resources Law; and review, amend, and supplement regulations to ensure consistency with other legal provisions across sectors and fields such as land and environment.

At the same time, the Department recommends that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment promptly finalize and publish the national water resource inventory data; and promptly build a database on water resources: characteristics of lowered water levels, reserves, exploitation density, etc., of aquifers to serve the effective management, exploitation, use, and protection of groundwater resources.

The Department proposes supplementing human resources and enhancing the management capacity of officials working in the field of water resources management at the provincial and district levels; strengthening equipment and tools to support management work, especially tools for processing information and evaluation during the appraisal and licensing process, and equipment for inspection and auditing work.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment will organize training and awareness campaigns for officials and employees of departments, agencies, district People's Committees, and businesses on communication to raise community awareness and responsibility in the exploitation, use, and protection of water resources. The Department will take the lead in coordinating with the Natural Resources and Environment Departments of the districts and centralized water supply units to conduct inspections and require units currently using groundwater to fill in wells and connect to the water supply system of centralized water supply units.

In parallel, the Department requested the People's Committees at the district level to inspect and review the closure of wells when areas with sufficient and high-quality centralized water supply are available.

"Specifically in 2024, the Department will focus on disseminating and implementing the 2023 Law on Natural Resources and Environment and its guiding decrees and circulars to officials, civil servants, employees in state agencies, businesses, and the people in the province."

The Department advises the Provincial People's Committee on handling groundwater exploitation and use projects that are unregistered, unlicensed, or have expired licenses. The Department coordinates the handling of groundwater exploitation and use projects that utilize public land, and continues to address the filling and sealing of damaged or unused boreholes.

"At the same time, the Department is inventorying and assessing surface water resources in the area and continuing to inspect, urge, and remind water resource exploitation enterprises to install equipment and connect to automatic, online monitoring data for water resource exploitation and use facilities,..." - Mr. Phan Van Cuong informed.

Chau Son

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