Vietnam Environmental Technologies Export Market Plan

Chapter 5
Sewerage and Drainage
5.1—Current Trends
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and
the Asian Development Bank estimate that only 16
percent of Vietnam’s urban population are served by
sewerage systems. Many of these systems are dualpurpose
sewers that carry rainwater runoff as well as
wastewater. The pipe and canal networks are unable to
handle volume flows, resulting in backups and flooding.
Some of the largest overseas development assistance
(ODA)-funded projects over the next five years are
directed toward rehabilitating sewerage and drainage
systems in Vietnam’s major cities, most notably Hanoi
and Ho Chi Minh City. While the projects in Hanoi are
already underway, the four projects in Ho Chi Minh City
are in the project preparation phase (Table 5.1).
initial construction. Some areas require frequent repairs,
because they collapse during high-volume periods, such
as monsoon rains.
The system is too small to meet current needs and
requires widespread repairs. The network was designed
for a population of 1.5 million, whereas HCMC’s
population is expected to reach 7.6 million by 2020. The
existing drainage network is estimated to handle 650,000
cubic meters of water per day. Therefore, certain sections
of the city become flooded with polluted waters during
the rainy season.
Most of the underground sewers drain into canals that
eventually flow to the Saigon River. Over-development
along the canals and the volume of solid waste restrict
water flows, causing the canals and sewer systems to back
up and flood.
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City has nearly 1,000 kilometers of
existing drainage—consisting of streams, canals, and
closed sewers—that double as a conduit for rainwater and
wastewater. Much of this system was built in the 1870s,
with sporadic improvement projects conducted from the
1950s to 1975.
Most of the sewers are concrete, though some were
built with brick and masonry. Settling has occurred since
Hanoi
Because of inadequate drainage and dual-purpose
sewers, most of Hanoi’s lakes and rivers suffer from
pollution from urban wastes. The center of Hanoi is
bordered by the Red River on the east and the Nhue River
on the west. The center is most prone to floods because
of inadequate drainage and sewerage networks. During
heavy rains, water flows backwards from the Nhue River
Table 5.1 Pending Sanitation Projects in Ho Chi Minh City
Project Donor Amount* Status
HCMC Environmental
Loan approved, feasibility
Improvement Asian Development Bank $100 million study completed
HCMC Environmental
Feasibility study completed,
Sanitation World Bank $180 million detailed design underway
Sewerage and Drainage for Overseas Economic Feasibility study
Tau Hu–Ben Nghe Canal Cooperation Fund $350 million completed
Tan Hoa–Lo Gom Belgian Administration Feasibility and design
Canal Sanitation Development Cooperation $5 million studies underway
* Values represent U.S. dollars.
Source: Mekong Research Ltd., 2000.
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