The government of HCMC, which is facing rising inundation triggered by rain and flood tides, is seeking an allocation of nearly VND10 trillion (US$43.96 million) from the central State budget to fund 36 flood control projects in 2016-2020.

A centrifugal water pumping system is installed on Nguyen Huu Canh Street in Binh Thanh District, HCMC

The city has asked the Prime Minister to assign the Ministries of Planning and Investment, and Finance to work out a budget allocation plan for these much-needed projects.

The city has also sought approval from the PM to approve small anti-flood projects without feasibility studies required to speed up the construction process. It often takes a long time to do feasibility studies as the frequency of urban flooding is rising, thus causing traffic jams, affecting local residents’ lives and damaging their properties.

Ho Long Phi, director of the Center of Water Management and Climate Change of the Vietnam National University in HCMC, told the Daily that the city had spent US$3-4 billion implementing canal dredging projects, half of the total amount needed.

Some districts in the city such as Thu Duc, Tan Phu, Binh Tan, 9 and 12 often suffer from heavy flooding as their drainage systems have not been upgraded. The city has been able to rehabilitate some sewer systems in the city center.

Therefore, the city should call for the private sector to get involved in anti-flood projects to cope with funding shortages, said Phi.

A representative of the Steering Center of the Urban Flood Control Program of HCMC said the city would have to build 104 reservoirs to store rainwater as a measure for reducing flooding. However, just a couple of them have got rolling, such as Khanh Hoi in District 4, Bau Cat in Tan Binh District and Go Dua in Thu Duc District.

On August 1, Japanese firm Sekisui and its Vietnamese partner VMC Group started building a flood control reservoir on Vo Van Ngan Street in Thu Duc District. The underground reservoir will have a holding capacity of 109 cubic meters. Its construction is expected to be complete in seven days.

SGT