Vietnam is facing severe water degradation mainly caused by untreated wastewater sources from municipals, industrial zones, and agricultural activities. Minister of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Trần Hồng Hà, stated that all river basins in Vietnam tend to be polluted. According to the JICA expert, Yutaka Matsuzawa, domestic wastewater is the most serious factor causing water pollution and additionally the top environmental risk in Vietnam. By 2019, as reported by the Ministry of Construction, there are 43 municipal wastewater treatment plants in Vietnam, however, only 13% of wastewater is treated. Experts recommend mobilizing social investment in wastewater treatment infrastructure and establish price mechanism for the whole system and pay sufficient attention in planning, policy, technologies, governance and operation of wastewater management and treatment, and effective sanction for water pollution violation cases.
Source & further information: “Mối đe dọa lớn từ nước thải sinh hoạt” at https://kinhtemoitruong.vn, accessed on 17 Mar 2021