The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved to fund Vietnam $1 billion to improve and expand local clean water supply networks from now up to 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said. The assistance which will help install new pipes and repair and extend current networks in several big cities will benefit more than three million local families. The project will also aim to reduce the water leakage in urban areas to more than 20% by 2020 from 30% in 2009, bringing Vietnam’s cities in line with modern Asian cities like Seoul. ADB is also providing a loan of $138 million to help poor people in Ho Chi Minh City who are not yet connected to tap water networks. Vietnam targets to raise the rate of its total population using tap water from the current 76% to 90% by 2020 and 100% by 2025. (Ha Noi Moi – New Hanoi May 4 p8)
