The Vietnamese government will spend VND150 billion ($7.21 million) on a clean water supply and environmental sanitation project in rural areas in the northern province of Ha Giang. This is part of a national target program for rural clean water and environmental sanitation between 2011 and 2015 with an estimated capital of VND45 trillion, the Nhan Dan newspaper reported. The project will focus on building and upgrading 300 tap water supply systems, with an aim to bring fresh water to 75.5% of local population. The project is expected to raise the living standards of over 60,000 locals and contribute to reducing the infection rate of diseases related to unhygienic water and environment. Vietnam targets to raise the rate of rural people using tap water to 95% from the current 83% or 52 million people and the threshold for rural households having hygienic latrines will be 75% by 2015. (Nhan Dan – The People Sept 12 p7, Sai Gon Giai Phong – Saigon Liberation Sept 12 p1)
