Nationwide, 68% of rural households have access to water that meets standards.

On October 16, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of Management and Construction of Irrigation Works (under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment ) coordinated with the Agriculture and Environment Newspaper to organize the Forum "The role of clean water and rural environmental sanitation in sustainable agricultural development and civilized rural construction".

Speaking at the opening of the forum, Mr. Vu Minh Viet, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Agriculture and Environment Newspaper, said that Vietnam is currently in the process of strong transformation, towards the goal of developing a green - clean - circular agricultural economy , adapting to climate change. In that context, ensuring clean water supply and improving environmental sanitation conditions in rural areas has become more urgent than ever. Because most agricultural production activities - especially cultivation and livestock farming - are closely linked to water resources and the surrounding environment. A clean rural environment, without polluted water sources, without hot spots of domestic waste or agricultural waste, will create favorable conditions for building a civilized, green - clean - beautiful new countryside.

A corner of the East Canal irrigation project (Cu Chi commune, Ho Chi Minh City)

Realizing the importance of clean water and rural environmental sanitation, on November 24, 2021, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 1978/QD-TTg approving the National Strategy on clean water supply and rural sanitation to 2030, with a vision to 2045.

The strategy sets out key targets: By 2030, strive for 80% of rural people to have access to clean water that meets standards; strengthen management capacity, develop rural water supply systems that are adaptable to climate change, financially sustainable and operationally efficient.

Scene of the Forum "The role of clean water and rural environmental sanitation in sustainable agricultural development and civilized rural construction"

The strategy is not only a guideline but also a strong commitment of the Government to improve living conditions and enhance environmental quality for tens of millions of people in rural areas.

Regarding clean water, in recent years, rural clean water work has played an important role in the national target program for new rural construction in localities by helping thousands of communes achieve clean water targets. In the period 2021-2025, the whole country has 6,084/7,669 communes (79.3%) recognized as meeting new rural standards, 2,567 advanced new rural communes, and 743 model new rural communes.

To date, 68% of rural households nationwide have access to water that meets standards, including 60% of households using clean water that meets standards from centralized water supply projects and 8% of households using household water supply. However, rural clean water work still has some limitations, especially the lack of investment resources. In the 2020-2024 period, the total investment capital for rural clean water is 13,400 billion VND, nearly 16,000 billion VND less than the demand.

Implementing the "National Strategy on Rural Clean Water Supply and Sanitation to 2030, with a vision to 2045", from now to 2030, rural clean water work nationwide aims at the following goals: 80% of rural households have access to clean water that meets standards; 100% of water supply units have sufficient capacity; completely resolve the shortage of domestic water for people in disadvantaged, polluted and saline-intruded areas. By 2045, 100% of rural people will have access to clean water.

Mr. Luong Van Anh, Deputy Director of the Department of Management and Construction of Irrigation Works (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) emphasized that developing clean water in rural areas associated with digital transformation is not only an inevitable requirement of the times but also a key solution towards the goal of building sustainable and civilized rural areas.

"Through the application of digital technology in the management, monitoring and operation of the water supply system, we improve investment efficiency, ensure fairness in access to clean water and protect water resources. This is the foundation to improve the quality of life of rural people, contributing to realizing the goal of "smart new rural areas - livable rural areas" in the coming period," said Mr. Luong Van Anh.

DUC TRUNG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/toan-quoc-co-68-ho-dan-nong-thon-duoc-su-dung-nuoc-dat-quy-chuan-post818318.html