Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi is estimated to need VND15.49 trillion ($751.94 million) for expanding the clean water supply network in the city and neighboring areas from now to 2015, state media reported June 10. The information was released at a recent meeting on water supply infrastructure plan in urban areas and neighboring areas in the next five years. The project will focus on minimizing underground water exploitation and boosting surface water sources with the aim to meet the rising demand of local residents. Local people are forecast to use 965,500 cu.m of tap water per day this year and the figure will be over 1.18 million cu.m of water daily until 2015. Hanoi targets to cut the rate of water loss to 27% by the next five years from the current 31%. It also aims to help all local residents gain access to tap water by 2015. Earlier late Jan, local authorities also adopted a VND156 billion project on building a tap water supply system in the outlying district of Gia Lam by 2012. (Thoi Bao Kinh Te Vietnam – Vietnam Economic Times June 10 p2, tienphong.vn June 9)
