A national meeting and a range of activities in response to World Water Day (March 23) will be held in the northern province of Bac Ninh on March 21-22, announced the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on March 17.
Wastewater from Phong Khe paper production village in Bac Ninh
The national meeting is expected to see the presence of Party and State leaders and nearly 3,000 representatives from ministries, departments and localities besides local residents.
Other activities include a scientific seminar themed “Safe treatment and reuse of wastewater – Solution to sustainably protect water resources” and a showcase of photos and water-saving technological products, along with communications activities.
According to the ministry’s Directorate of Water Resources Management, the World Water Day 2017 takes the theme “Water and Wastewater” with a view to raising public awareness of water pollution mitigation, water resources protection, economical and effective exploitation and use of water resources.
Population growth along with rapid urbanisation and industrialisation are exerting great pressure on Vietnam’s environment and water resources.
Among air, water and soil pollution, water pollution is the most serious, mostly caused by the discharge of untreated and poorly treated wastewater from industrial and agricultural production facilities, craft villages, and households.
Vietnam is currently home to 316 industrial and 16 coastal economic zones, and nearly 2,790 craft villages. The total volume of wastewater from industrial parks nationwide surpasses 3 million cu.m per day, with 70 percent of this volume discharged to the environment without treatment.
Moreover, more than 13,600 medical establishments, including 1,253 hospitals, 1,037 preventive medicine facilities and 11,104 communal medical stations across the country, discharge an average of 150,000 cu.m of medical waste per day.
However, only 54 percent of hospitals nationwide use wastewater treatment system. The rate among central-level ones is 73 percent, provincial-level clinics, 60 percent and district-level ones 45 percent.