The Prime Minister has approved the amended decision on the development of drainage in Vietnam’s urban centres and industrial parks up to 2025 and a vision towards 2050, with the aim that urban centres will be free of flooding by 2050.

A street in Ho Chi Minh City was flooded last year.

The revised decision No.589/QD-TTg dated April 6, 2016 was developed and issued based on decision No.1930/QD-TTg dated November 20, 2009 by the Prime Minister.

The new decision is intended to improve the legal framework for drainage development, develop comprehensive and stable systems of water drainage which involve the construction of networks of wastewater-collecting culverts and treatment plants, increase connections to sewers by households and ensure regular maintenance of the drainage systems.

The government targets expanding the service capacity of urban drainage systems to more than 70 percent and to have rainwater drainage systems installed in all urban roads and residential streets by 2020.

By 2025, 50 percent of wastewater from urban centres of grade II upwards and 20 percent of wastewater from grade V upwards will be collected and treated up to defined standards while the service capacity of urban drainage systems will be increased to over 80 percent.

The country aims to stop flooding and have 100 percent of daily-life wastewater treated up to defined standards in all urban centres by 2050.

The government will address environmental pollution by revising urban drainage planning in light of climate change and developing maps of areas prone to flooding, landslides and flashfloods.

Projects on environmental issues in residential areas will also be prioritised while localities are encouraged to support craft villages and industrial businesses in building proper drainage systems.

VNA