Challenges in Handling Environmental Sanitation in Coastal Cities

Sewage and rain water is untreated and pour directly into the sewer system leading to the nearest river. Due to inadequate maintenance, in Vietnam, frequent inundation occurs in the cities and most of sewage system. The sewer system was built long ago, now it's time to maintain and upgrade.

 

Besides, annually the whole country emits about 15 million tonnes of solid waste which is often untreated and dumped directly into landfill pit and a few landfills with good sanitary condition. The collecting of solid waste only meets 70 percent of the cities' demand.

 

Therefore, the Coastal Cities Environmental Sanitation Project will carry out drainage construction, construction of works collecting and treating waste water and solid waste, and a programme comprehensively increasing capacity, which will bring major benefits for over 800,000 people, of which 250,000 will benefit from the mitigation of flooding. Over 800,000 people will benefit from the solid waste treatment service; 65,000 students will be able to use cleaner sanitation works; more than 8,452 households will be able to get loans from the revolving fund serving improvement in sanitation works in households. This project is funded by the World Bank with US$190 million capital from the International Development Association, US$4.6 million from the trust fund, and non-refundable US$5 million from the Global Environment Fund.

 

Besides, a wastewater treatment plant in Quy Nhon with the capacity of 14,000 cubic metres per day was built under the funding of the project and the grant provided by the GEF, which will benefit 60,000 people. In particular, the project supports urban environment companies through comprehensive programs to upgrade the accounting system, to establish maintenance operation instruction and legal framework for public - private cooperation, environmental monitoring and personnel training to provide better service.

 

According to the World Bank, the Vietnamese Government and the local authorities have taken steps right from the design and implementation phase of the project in order to prolong the usage and operation period of the projects. Local authorities have selected appropriate technology based on available land fund and their own growth forecast. At the same time, the project also supports the issuance of new and clearer decree on environment and helps the localities use collected fines and fees to offset operating costs, maintenance costs and other costs.

 

Thanks to the positive results in the first phase, the next phase of the project will soon kick off. Three localities taking part in the project participants have proposed an added mixed funding scheme, conducted planning and anticipated different scenarios. At the same time, the localities also explore new sources of income such as producing fertilizer from waste in Dong Hoi, or a proposal on reusing waste to submit to the Gates Foundation.

 

Mr Nguyen Huu Hoai, Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Binh province, said that the project has helped change the image of the city of Dong Hoi and scored more points for the necessary criteria to become a grade II urban area, which includes that 75 percent of the population and tourists have access to sewerage services and waste water treatment. The projects installed and upgraded the sewer system, after that planted more green trees, set up lighting system and boat anchoring system, contributing to developing the urban area towards modernisation, eco-friendliness and sustainability.