Vietnam: Toward a Safe, Clean, and Resilient Water System

Viet Nam’s quest for water security and the World Bank’s support for this effort have evolved significantly over the past three decades. As new and more complex challenges have emerged, the Government of Viet Nam and the World Bank’s partnership has adapted and evolved. From the early days of developing water resources to serve cities and towns, to the rehabilitation of irrigation systems to spur regional growth and investments in urban wastewater management, drainage, rural water supply, and dam restoration, the journey has been extensive. Today, the focus has shifted towards building resilience and mitigating the impacts of a changing climate.

Progress has been notable in urban areas where nearly all residents enjoy access to reliable water services. But the picture in rural areas is less rosy — only about 44% of the rural population, approximately 28.5 million people, can access water from centralized supply systems. Shockingly, 56% of rural dwellers (around 36.3 million individuals) are reliant on unsafe water from household supply structures. The threat from pollution is serious, with only 15% of municipal wastewater treated.

Climate change further exacerbates the situation, with risks from sea level rise, severe storms, flooding, and salination, according to the Global Water Security and Sanitation Partnership. Inefficient water management in agriculture also contributes to the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Viet Nam’s water challenges can jeopardize future growth by approximately 6% annually by 2035. The major water-related challenges are:

• Too little : Water stress during the dry season in key river basins that support 80% of the country’s GDP is predicted to worsen in the next decade.

• Too dirty : Pollution is one of the greatest threats to the national economy and human health, with an estimated GDP reduction of 3.5% annually by 2035.

• Too much : Viet Nam faces increasing risks and costs from climate hazards, especially storms and floods.

Unless decisive steps are taken, water, which has been a driving force behind Viet Nam’s rapid growth, can become a hindrance. Viet Nam’s ambition to become an upper middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income economy by 2045 rests on its ability to grow not only faster, but better. Ensuring water security – sustainably managing water resources; improving the delivery of water services for agriculture, energy, industry, domestic and other users; and building resilience and climate change mitigation – will be central to this process.

A World Bank governance study,  Viet Nam: Toward a Safe, Clean, and Resilient Water System  (2019), SEE ATTACHED supported the Government of Viet Nam to develop and implement key recommendations on institutions, infrastructure, incentives and information. The study, backed by the Partnership, also provides a vehicle for leveraging and integrating innovation into operations and policy and offering flexibility to adapt to uncertainties, respond to new and emerging issues, and advance dialogue across Ministries on water security.

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Taxonomy

• Water Security
• Security