Ho Chi Minh City: Major projects for clean water are finally taking effect!

Ho Chi Minh City: Major projects for clean water are finally taking effect!

Ho Chi Minh City, one of the fastest growing urban sprawls in Southeast Asia, faces massive wastewater management challenges. The city currently operates seven wastewater treatment plants with a total treatment capacity of approximately 644,200 m³ per day, but this only covers 40.8% of current wastewater treatment needs. The situation is further complicated by a population that now exceeds 8 million people, while the original drainage and sewage system was built in the 1870s and was expanded until 1975, but was only designed to accommodate a population of 1.5 million. This discrepancy, combined with the increasing sealing of areas, often leads to flooding during the monsoon season.

Current wastewater treatment plants vary in their capacity. The three central wastewater treatment plants include:

• Binh Hung: 469.000 m³/Tag
• Binh Hung Hoa: 30.000 m³/Tag
• Tham Luong – Ben Cat Phase 1: 131.000 m³/Tag

In addition, there are four decentralized wastewater treatment plants in residential areas, which have a total capacity of 14,200 m³ per day. What is particularly alarming is that around 729,000 m³ of untreated domestic and industrial wastewater is discharged into rivers and canals every day, which degrades water quality to unacceptable levels.

Investments and future plans

The city plans to open the first phase of the Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe sewage treatment plant with a planned capacity of 480,000 m³ per day by the end of 2025. When the new sewage treatment plant goes into operation, a treatment rate of urban wastewater of 71.3% is expected to be achieved. The city's long-term goal is to achieve a treatment rate of over 85% for urban domestic wastewater by 2030.

The need to invest in and expand wastewater treatment plants is obvious. The infrastructure problems mean that the actual amount of wastewater treated is below the capacity of the existing plants.

Cooperation with Japan

The Vietnamese government has asked the Japanese government to design and construct new treatment plants, marking an important step in improving wastewater management. OC Global, a company that has been working on the project since 1998, played a key role in conducting feasibility studies and designing the new facilities. Their services include, but are not limited to, design updates, cost estimates and tender assistance.

The challenges facing Ho Chi Minh City require rapid action and substantial investments to ensure citizens' quality of life and protect the environment. Implementing new technologies and increasing capacity are crucial to keep pace with urban growth and promote sustainable development in the region.