SBR- Content.pmd - INBO

State of the Basin Report - 2003Box 3. Viet Nam - Increasing access to water supply and overcoming quality changesSaltwater intrusion and increased agricultural activity have polluted surface water throughoutthe Mekong Delta.To find fresh water, more than 43,000 tube wells up to 400 metres in depth have been drilled totap fresh water aquifers. Furthermore, when surveys carried out in 1996 and 1997 indicatedthat thousands of wells were used at only about 5 percent of their capacity, efforts were made toeffectively exploit existing wells, rather than drill new ones. In the commune of Luong Hoa,extensive discussions with community members led to an agreement to construct and maintaina piping system that brought water directly to people’s homes. Virtually every household agreedto contribute financial support. The funds collected for each cubic metre of water supplied areenough to cover electricity and operational costs, as well as cover future repairs and expansionof the system.The project has expanded to supply piping systems in 49 communes in the provinces of VinhLong and Tien Giang, benefiting an estimated 22,000 people.This experience shows that relatively small amounts of capital can act as a catalyst in helpingpeople to help themselves. Community support for small piping systems can be a low-costmethod of increasing rural water supplies.Source: WHO/UNICEF/WSSCC 20013.1.3 Deteriorating infrastructureThe deterioration of domestic water and sanitation infrastructure is a concern, especially in urbanareas. Infrastructure is reaching the end of its working life, and requires extensive funding forrehabilitation. In 2000, it was estimated thatover 80 percent of sewage/storm waterdrains in Cambodia’s urban centres were nolonger functioning. 4 In addition, wherepreventive maintenance is insufficient,systems are declining even faster. Theseproblems result not only in inconvenienceand health problems, but also in economiclosses due to investment wasted oninfrastructure that under-performs, and thecost of pumping and treating water that islater lost. 5 Basin-wide investment planningpriorities will need to include the cost ofrehabilitating existing water and seweragesystems.3.1.4. Recognising the importance of groundwaterIn many urban areas of the LMB, sewage and stormwater drains are in poor condition and no longerfunction wellGroundwater is often excluded from basin planning discussions, even though it is a crucialconsideration both as a domestic source and because its quality is threatened by human waste andother pollutants. The use of groundwater in the basin for domestic purposes is already significant.In Thailand, for example, 60 percent of groundwater abstraction is used for domestic supply. 6 InCambodia, more than half of the population uses groundwater for domestic needs, and in rural248