Japan helps Vietnam enhance water environment management

A project on a regional survey on the private sector to disseminate Japanese technology for simple water monitoring devices to enhance water environment management capacity was officially launched on October 8.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

The project is jointly carried out by the Vietnam Environment Administration under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Optex Japan Co., Ltd.

The project will be implemented from October 2019 to September 2020 with a total capital of US$944,758, of which JICA funded US$914,000 in the form of technical assistance.

The equipment is applied to test observation at 54 monitoring points in Cau River basin in Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Hanoi, Vinh Phuc, Hai Duong to assess the feasibility, effectiveness and suitability of environmental conditions as well as the observance of monitoring techniques and measurement laws in Vietnam.

Deputy director of the Vietnam Environment Administration Nguyen Hung Thinh said that environmental monitoring activities in Vietnam have been established and maintained since 1994. This activity is increasingly playing an important role, effectively supporting the management and environmental protection in Vietnam.

Along with the socio-economic development, under the influence of natural factors and human activities, the quality of water environment in some river basins at some point has been polluted, he noted, adding that water quality monitoring activities should be paid much more attention.

Koji Takauchi, senior consultant of JICA said the project is expected to solve problems of water quality in river basins in Vietnam based on products that have been successfully applied in Japan.

According to the Centre for Environmental and Natural Resources Monitoring, the project aims to organise the method of improving the frequency and number of monitoring facilities through periodic monitoring of water quality of rivers in Vietnam by using "Water it" equipment, as well as organising a number of new environmental monitoring mechanisms in Vietnamese government agencies.