Vietnam will carry out a clean water supply project in rural areas between 2010 and 2020 with a total investment of VND500 billion ($25.64 million), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) said. The MARD released the figure at a conference on rural water quality management in Hanoi on Sept 27, the Ha Noi Moi newspaper reported Sept 30. The project will focus on controlling the water quality, upgrading infrastructure and building the water quality analysis laboratories in eight ecological zones. Under the project, 70% of concentrated water supply networks and at least 30% of household water supply systems will be tested for the national quality standard by 2020. Currently, 30% of clean water in rural areas meets the national standards and 80% of rural households gets benefit from small water supply systems and uncompleted concentrated water clean supply networks, the ministry said. There are only 18 out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide having established the water quality analysis laboratories, most of which have not yet completed and received certifications. Vietnam aims all of its rural population to get access to clean water by 2020, compared to the rate of 40% currently. (Ha Noi Moi – New Hanoi Sept 28 p5, Nhan Dan – The People Sept 28 p7)
