The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has announced a water resources planning scheme for the 2021 to 2030 period with a vision towards 2050, which was granted approved by the Prime Minister in December, 2022.
The scheme offers a foundation for MoNRE and other ministries, agencies, and localities looking to map out their own plans relating to water resources, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh said in his opening remarks.
The official went on to express confidence that close co-ordination between the ministries, agencies, and localities will help to ensure the overall quality of relevant planning schemes, thereby creating a premise for the economical, effective, and sustainable exploitation, use, and protection of water resources.
Chau Tran Vinh, director of the MONRE’s Department of Water Resources Management, noted that this is the first national planning scheme being implemented in the water resources sector, which regulates water resources to achieve targets set in the reviewed period’s socio-economic development strategy.
This scheme sets out relevant guidelines and policies adopted by the Party, the National Assembly (NA), and the Government, he said, adding that it touches upon issues regarding the management, regulation, distribution, exploitation, and use of water resources in agriculture, industry, fishery, irrigation, urban, and rural water supply. This is along with other production and business activities, in addition with those on national water resources security.
According to Vinh, MONRE has co-ordinated efforts with the World Bank, Australia, and France, as well as domestic and foreign organisations and individuals in a bid to organise meetings, during which they exchanged experience in developing the scheme.
By 2025, the scheme aims to increase the rate of daily clean water use to between 95% and 100% for the urban population, and 65% for rural residents. As many as 90% of water exploitation activities will be put under control, while the rate of water loss in supply activities will be reduced to 10%.
Furthermore, it also seeks to prioritise settling drought and water shortages in the dry season across river basins and areas with difficult access to sources, particularly the south-central region, Central Highlands, Mekong River Delta, and remote and island areas.
By 2050, the nation is expected to raise its national water security index to be among the countries that effectively ensures its own water security. It will therefore work towards being proactive in water resources in all situations, forecasting and regulating water, preventing floods, droughts, saltwater intrusion, pollution, degradation, and water depletion, as well as responding to the impact of climate change.