Vietnam Loses $94M from Clean Water Leakage Yearly

Vietnam is estimated to suffer a loss of nearly VND2 trillion ($94.4 million) from clean water leakage per year, Nguyen Hong Tien from the Ministry of Construction said at a meeting in Ho Chi Minh City. At a meeting on finding ways to prevent water loss in HCM City on Oct 18, Mr. Tien said the rate of water leakage in Vietnamese urban areas remains high at 27%, versus just 5%-10% in developed countries. Mr. Tien blamed the high leakage rate on old pipelines and frauds in water use as many pipelines, mainly those in Hanoi and HCM City, were built more than 30 years ago. The percentage of Vietnamese population having clean water is just 80%, he added. Vietnam targets to lower the rate of water loss to 25% by 2015 and 15% by 2025 from 30% in 2009 and 35% in 2005. The country will need VND138.5 trillion to build more water supply plants from now to 2020, he added. (Lao Dong – Labor Oct 18, thesaigontimes.vn Oct 18, Dai Doan Ket- Great Unity)