Ensuring water security and providing clean water supply for people
Water resources play an extremely important role, not only in meeting essential human needs but also in supporting all aspects of socio-economic life, including culture, religion, and other areas. However, the management and sustainable development of this valuable resource are currently facing numerous challenges and shortcomings caused by both objective and subjective factors.
Vietnam has nearly 3,500 large and small rivers, with total annual surface water resources estimated at approximately 830 billion cubic meters (m³), according to data from the World Bank (WB). However, a significant proportion of Vietnam’s water resources originates from neighboring countries, including China, Laos, and Cambodia, accounting for around 63% of the total water volume (equivalent to 520–525 billion m³). This dependence increases Vietnam’s vulnerability in managing and controlling water resources. The World Bank has assessed Vietnam’s internally generated water resources as relatively low compared with other countries in the region.
Rainfall and water flow are unevenly distributed throughout the year, with around 70–80% of total rainfall occurring during the rainy season (from June to October). This leads to flooding during the rainy season and water shortages during the dry season. River basins such as the Red River and the Mekong River account for a large proportion of Vietnam’s surface water resources. However, regions such as the Central region and the Central Highlands face serious water shortages due to lower rainfall and complex terrain. Alongside surface water, groundwater plays an important role in supplying water for daily life and production. However, in many areas, especially major urban centers, groundwater is being overexploited, resulting in land subsidence and saltwater intrusion.
To manage water resources effectively, Vietnam has the coordination and involvement of various ministries and government agencies, including the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Ministry of Health. These agencies play important roles in regulating, protecting, exploiting, and sustainably developing water resources, while ensuring water security and meeting the needs of socio-economic development.
Although Vietnam’s water resources appear abundant in terms of total volume, a closer assessment of their temporal and spatial distribution, combined with economic development and population growth, reveals that the country is facing numerous major challenges in water resource management and sustainability.
First, there are shortcomings in water resource control and management. Although Vietnam has a large total volume of water resources, around 81% is used for irrigation, 11% for aquaculture, 5% for industrial activities, and only 3% for domestic water supply. These figures indicate that without proper surveys, assessments, and clear classification of water usage purposes, effective water resource management will remain a significant challenge.
Groundwater plays an important role in supplying water for domestic use, agriculture, and industrial activities in Vietnam. However, this valuable resource is currently facing serious challenges due to overexploitation. Vietnam’s groundwater reserves are estimated at approximately 60 billion cubic meters (m³). However, increasing groundwater extraction, driven by insufficient surface water supply, has led to declining groundwater levels in many areas. This situation is particularly serious in major urban areas, where demand for water for daily life and production continues to rise. In addition, excessive groundwater exploitation in coastal regions has resulted in saltwater intrusion, affecting water quality and limiting its use for domestic and agricultural purposes. The current situation shows that in many locations, groundwater levels continue to decline without clear signs of recovery, raising concerns about the risk of resource depletion in the near future.
Vietnam is fortunate compared with some other countries as it currently possesses available water resources and has not had to go through conflicts or wars to protect these resources. However, this advantage belongs mainly to the past. In the future, if climate change, increasing pollution, and transboundary water issues are not proactively addressed through effective management strategies, sustainable water resource management will become increasingly challenging.
Overexploitation of groundwater resources has led to declining groundwater levels in many areas
Second, water pollution is becoming increasingly alarming, posing serious impacts on biodiversity and human health. According to statistics from the former Ministry of Health and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, more than 9,000 people die each year due to unsafe water sources and poor sanitation conditions. Approximately 20,000 newly diagnosed cancer cases annually are believed to be associated with various factors, including water pollution. In addition, around 44% of children in Vietnam are affected by worm infections, while 27% of children under five years old suffer from malnutrition due to inadequate access to clean water and poor sanitation. A survey of 37 areas known as “cancer villages” recorded 1,136 deaths from cancer-related diseases, while an additional 380 people in neighboring areas also died from cancer.
The main cause of water pollution today is the continued occurrence of illegal wastewater discharge in many localities. Numerous factories and industrial parks discharge untreated or inadequately treated wastewater directly into rivers, lakes, canals, and waterways. In particular, industries such as textile dyeing, paper production, chemicals, and cement manufacturing generate large volumes of wastewater containing heavy metals and toxic chemicals, causing severe environmental pollution. Several major rivers have been seriously polluted due to industrial wastewater, including the To Lich River in Hanoi, the Saigon River, and the Dong Nai River. There are still many industrial parks and craft villages nationwide that either lack centralized wastewater treatment systems or have treatment facilities that fail to meet required environmental standards.
Alongside industrial pollution, waste and domestic wastewater pollution are also causing serious degradation of surface water quality. Household wastewater contains high levels of organic matter, microorganisms, and chemicals such as detergents, grease, and cleaning agents. However, most of this wastewater is still not thoroughly treated before being discharged into the environment, especially in rural areas and urban areas without synchronized wastewater treatment systems. In addition, other factors contributing to water pollution include agricultural activities, excessive use of chemicals, and improper disposal of waste into the environment.
Third, climate change is intensifying water resource challenges in Vietnam, causing serious impacts on surface water, groundwater, and related ecosystems. In recent years, climate change has increased the frequency of droughts and severe water shortages, while rainfall patterns have become increasingly irregular in both time and spatial distribution. Some areas experience extreme rainfall events, while others face prolonged droughts. At the same time, natural flows in many major rivers, such as the Red River and the Mekong River, have declined during the dry season, worsening water shortages for agriculture, domestic use, and industrial production. The Central Highlands, South Central Coast, and Mekong Delta are among the regions most severely affected by drought, causing significant impacts on agricultural activities. Many rivers are currently under increasing pressure from overexploitation (water stress), creating risks of pollution and changes to aquatic ecosystems.
Pollution from waste and domestic wastewater is causing serious degradation of surface water quality
In particular, sea level rise caused by climate change is increasing the severity of saltwater intrusion into inland areas, affecting freshwater resources for domestic use and production. Excessive groundwater exploitation in coastal regions, combined with saltwater intrusion, has reduced water quality and created challenges for domestic water supply. In recent years, the frequency and intensity of storms and floods have also increased due to climate change, causing landslides, soil erosion, and water pollution. Many areas affected by flash floods and severe landslides have experienced declines in both the quality and availability of clean water resources…
Fourth, water resource planning between the national and provincial levels remains insufficiently synchronized and effective. Vietnam is currently implementing planning activities in accordance with the Planning Law, under which lower-level plans must comply with higher-level plans. This approach creates advantages in ensuring consistency, but it also presents certain challenges. For example, at the local level, water sector planning must be integrated into provincial planning, which is subject to approval by the Prime Minister. If national water sector planning by the former Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the plans of some provinces have already been approved, inconsistencies may arise during implementation. When local authorities are required to adjust their plans to align with ministry-level planning, they may have to seek additional approval from the Prime Minister to revise the provincial planning. This is one of the issues highlighted in Resolution No. 61/QH15 of the National Assembly, indicating that the Planning Law needs further improvements to address and resolve these obstacles.
One of the most critical solutions requiring urgent attention and strong cooperation from the entire community today is addressing water pollution. This is a significant challenge that requires a systematic and fundamental approach. The legal framework has been gradually improved through amendments to the Law on Water Resources, which emphasizes stricter control over wastewater discharge into the environment. It is necessary to strengthen regulations and penalties for acts causing water pollution, particularly illegal wastewater discharge by businesses. At the same time, authorities should establish automatic wastewater monitoring systems in industrial parks and urban areas to promptly detect and handle violations. Alongside these measures, the responsibility of local authorities in managing and protecting water resources must be enhanced to prevent pollution from spreading and ensure sustainable water resource management.
Local authorities need to take stronger action in strictly controlling wastewater from industrial and urban activities. This includes requiring all industrial parks and factories to have standardized wastewater treatment systems before discharging into the environment. At the same time, it is necessary to develop urban wastewater treatment plants to reduce pollution from domestic activities and production, while strictly prohibiting the direct discharge of untreated wastewater into rivers, lakes, canals, and waterways, especially in densely populated areas. Authorities should also promote the application of biological and biofiltration technologies in wastewater treatment as alternatives to chemical-based methods that may cause environmental harm.
Monitoring and supervising water resources to ensure water quality
With a longer-term roadmap, Vietnam needs to develop comprehensive solutions for wastewater collection, restoration, and protection of natural water resources. This includes rehabilitating polluted rivers such as the To Lich River and the Saigon River through the application of biological technologies and microorganisms capable of decomposing pollutants. Other measures include planting upstream forests, protecting riverside ecosystems, and developing ecological lakes and artificial wetlands to naturally filter and improve water quality before water flows into rivers and lakes. Vietnam should also research and apply seawater desalination technologies to produce freshwater, helping address the increasing risk of saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta. Most fundamentally, it is necessary to raise awareness among businesses and communities about water resource protection and pollution prevention. Enterprises should be encouraged and supported through appropriate mechanisms to fulfill their social responsibilities, invest in wastewater treatment technologies, and reduce waste generation.
The second major challenge in sustainable water resource management and development is ensuring water security and providing clean water for people. During discussions on amendments and supplements to the Law on Water Resources at the National Assembly and in various other forums, many delegates have repeatedly emphasized that the issue of insufficient access to clean water for citizens remains an urgent concern. If immediate action is not taken, in the next 20–30 years, future generations may face a serious shortage of clean water, regardless of whether it is the rainy or dry season, as water sources continue to be affected by pollution.
To achieve sustainable development goals, Vietnam should not focus solely on meeting reporting targets but must prioritize improving the quality of clean water supplied to people. A single clean water standard should be applied nationwide, without distinction between urban and rural areas. Achieving this goal requires significant investment in policies, resources, and implementation roadmaps. Technology is also a crucial factor. While many countries around the world have become familiar with nanofiltration technology and are moving toward more advanced solutions, Vietnam still largely relies on traditional water treatment technologies. Compared with sand filtration, nanofiltration technology provides higher purification efficiency while retaining beneficial organic compounds and minerals that support human health. Therefore, Vietnam needs to continue improving treatment technologies, enhancing both water quality and service quality, while establishing unified water quality standards between urban and rural areas. Stronger investment is essential to ensure that rural communities have access to truly clean water, rather than only meeting the basic requirement of “hygienic water supply.” The upcoming Law on Water Supply and Drainage should include stricter regulations on this issue.
Regarding groundwater security, the first priority is to strictly manage and control groundwater exploitation. This includes setting limits on groundwater extraction, prohibiting groundwater exploitation in areas at high risk of land subsidence, and tightening licensing regulations, especially for businesses and industrial parks. At the same time, Vietnam needs to develop and apply advanced groundwater treatment technologies to remove contaminants such as arsenic, heavy metals, and bacteria, thereby improving water quality. Other necessary measures include reducing excessive urban concrete coverage to increase rainwater infiltration into the ground and replenish groundwater sources, as well as developing artificial recharge facilities such as reservoirs and infiltration wells to restore groundwater levels. In the long term, it is essential to strengthen afforestation efforts and protect upstream areas to maintain the natural balance of groundwater resources.
To adapt to and protect water resources in the face of climate change, Vietnam must first focus on sustainable water resource management, including the development of efficient water-use policies, reducing groundwater exploitation, and protecting surface water sources. At the same time, it is necessary to develop irrigation systems for drought prevention and saltwater intrusion control, especially in the Mekong Delta, while promoting the development of water treatment and reuse technologies, particularly in agriculture and industry. In particular, Vietnam needs to strengthen international cooperation on water resource management, especially with countries that share water resources from the Mekong River and Red River basins.
Finally, it is necessary to further improve the legal framework and policies for sustainable water resource management and development. Alongside strengthening institutions and imposing stricter penalties for acts causing environmental pollution, water resource planning and management must also be carried out based on a comprehensive and integrated planning approach. The role of national-level planning by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) is particularly important, as it provides an overall perspective. Based on the national master plan and national economic development strategies, the Ministry can establish appropriate targets for allocating and managing water resources across different sectors, ensuring fair and efficient water use. If water resource planning is unified among provinces, management effectiveness will certainly improve, while reducing conflicts arising from multiple ministries, sectors, and localities managing and using the same river systems. This is especially important because upstream activities can directly affect downstream areas, where local communities may suffer the consequences of unsustainable water use.
Policy considerations should also address the pricing of water resources to ensure affordable access to clean water for people. Currently, there are no specific regulations on determining the value of water resources. As a result, many organizations and businesses have not fully accounted for water-related costs in their production processes, making it difficult to accurately assess the efficiency of water use and often leading to underestimation of the actual value of water resources. Regarding domestic water pricing, current prices remain relatively low, making it challenging for the water sector to develop sustainably. However, setting water prices too high without appropriate subsidy policies for low-income groups could create difficulties in accessing clean water for daily use. Therefore, it is necessary to develop support policies for vulnerable groups. Instead of applying uniform water subsidies, water pricing should gradually follow a market-based mechanism, while providing direct support to low-income households to ensure they have sufficient access to clean water for daily needs.
Overall, the sustainable management and development of water resources in Vietnam requires close coordination among the Government, businesses, and communities. Challenges such as water pollution, overexploitation, and the impacts of climate change must be addressed through comprehensive solutions, including improving the legal framework, strengthening pollution control, and promoting efficient water use. If these solutions are implemented in a synchronized and effective manner, Vietnam can ensure sustainable water resources to support socio-economic development in the future.
Nguyễn Quang Huân – Member of the 15th National Assembly, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Halcom Vietnam Joint Stock Company
Source: Xay Dung Magazine