Conference seeks safe water supply for Mekong Delta

The Ministry of Construction is calling for support for and experience sharing in management and operation of a World Bank-funded project to secure water supply in the Mekong Delta region amid impacts of drought and saline intrusion, heard a round-table conference held in Hanoi on June 20.

According to Minister of Construction Pham Hong Ha, the project is billed as a significant solution to water supply security, social welfare and environment protection in Mekong Delta localities by 2030.

However, Ha said that the project will face formidable challenges in capital, management capacity and experience.

Ousmane Dione, Practice Manager of East Asia and Pacific Programme, Water Global Practice of the WB, noted that the project implementation becomes even more exigent as the region has experienced critical saline intrusion and shortage of potable water.

He underscored that the WB commits to providing both financial and knowledge support for Vietnam during the implementation the project.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Construction Phan Thi My Linh highlighted that the ministry has joined hands with localities and the WB to seek additional capital for the project, adding that meticulous review and prompt adjustments have been made to meet the investor’s demands.

The ministry will also work with relevant agencies to identify support in finance, technique and mechanism in accordance with the capacity of each donor to deal with the water supply security for the region in short, medium and long terms, she said.

Covering an area of 40,000 square kilometres, the Mekong Delta has one city and 12 provinces with a total population of 17.5 million people. The region is confronting disastrous influences from climate change.

On the outset of this year, saline intrusion occurred in ten regional localities. About 230,000 households as well as schools, clinics and hotels were short of fresh water in April.

VNA