b) Objectives:

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Implement safe water supply to manage risks and remediate potential incidents originating from water resources, water treatment facilities and water transmission and distribution systems; ensure continuous and sufficient water supply with adequate pressure and quality to improve quality of life and protect human’s health.

- Specific objectives:

Mobilize resources to implement safe water supply in order to achieve specific objectives of each period as follows:

+ Until 2020:

. 90% - 95% of the population shall be provided with clean and hygienic water.

. 45% of urban water supply systems shall be established and implementing safe water supply plan.

. 35% of rural water supply systems shall be established and implementing safe water supply plan.

. Untreated municipal wastewater shall be reduced to 80% - 85%.

. Diarrhoea related to water for drinking and cooking shall be reduced by 20%.

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+ Until 2025:

. 95% - 100% of the population shall be provided with clean and hygienic water.

. 75% of urban water supply systems shall be established and implementing safe water supply plan.

. 50% of rural water supply systems shall be established and implementing safe water supply plan.

. Untreated municipal wastewater shall be reduced to 70%.

. Diarrhoea related to water for drinking and cooking shall be reduced by 30%.

2. Scope, regulated entities and implementation period of the Program

a) Scope and regulated entities:

This Program shall be implemented in urban and rural areas of nationwide provinces and central-affiliated cities.

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b) Implementation period of the Program:

The Program shall be implemented from 2016 to 2025.

3. Primary tasks of the Program

a) Develop and improve policies on safe water supply:

- Examine and amend legislative documents:

+ Examine and amend Decree No. 117/2007/ND-CP dated July 11, 2007 on clean water production, provision and consumption satisfactory to recently issued legislative documents and climate change; conduct research and assign water wholesalers and retailers with additional responsibilities; conduct study on policies on managing water supply in apartment and urban areas.

+ Conduct research and develop regulations on certifying water supply systems to provide safe water supply including: Assessment criteria; assessing, supervising, inspection and certifying organizations; certifying procedures.

+ Examine and revise regulations providing guidelines for methods of evaluating clean water consumption and adding expenditure related to activities that facilitate safe water supply.

- Examine and revise technical regulations and standards:

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+ Revise design standards of water supply structures related to safe water supply.

+ Examine and revise technical regulations on water quality satisfactory to management requirements and socio-economic conditions; provide guidelines for managing and controlling water quality risks according conditions of utilized water sources.

b) Manage, extract, utilize and protect water sources:

- Establish water source protection corridors, develop measures to protect and improve quality of water sources for extraction satisfactory to safe water supply requirements.

- Conduct research on methods of storing and utilizing rainwater, particularly in areas suffering from water source disadvantages (areas suffering from salt-water intrusion, Mekong Delta region, islands and archipelagoes, northern mountain region, central highlands and south central coast).

- Examine and revise regulations on monitor systems supervising quality of domestic water sources; prepare plans to search for supplementary water sources for extraction in case of pollution of currently extracted water sources.

- Control sources of pollution affecting water sources; develop water quality early warning systems.

- Take actions against violations relating dumping waste, polluting water sources or illegal water extraction and utilization.

c) Implement safe water supply plans and invest in construction and renovation of water supply system:

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- Identify demands and prepare plans for investment and renovation of water supply system and activities assisting safe water supply.

- Invest and improve water treatment procedures and technology to be modern, environmental friendly, energy efficient and satisfactory to climate change; conduct research and apply new technology regarding water treatment in case of water quality deterioration and salt-water intrusion.

- Invest and install energy efficient devices at raw water and clean water pumping stations; invest in high pressure pumping stations and devices that controlling water flow, pressure and leak; renovate and replace old or leaking pipes.

- Invest in equipment controlling water quality and add water sterilizers to ensure adequate water quality and chloride contents as per the law.

- Invest in equipment and technology and conduct other activities in order to manage risks and rectify accidents.

d) Apply information technology in order to ensure safe water supply:

- Develop and provide instructions on using the software in managing safe water supply satisfactory to users ranging from water suppliers to central and local water supply regulatory agencies.

- Apply technology and smart devices in managing and operating water supply systems: Develop systems that jointly control, supervise and manage water supply systems online regarding water quality, water treatment, pipes, equipment and end consumers.

- Establish safe water supply database and monitor, supervision and assessment information systems (including: Operation of water supply systems; risk management and incident rectification systems; results of safe water supply, water sources, rural water supply, water quality, health and diseases related to water, etc.); cooperation and information sharing mechanism between national safety water supply database with other databases.

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- For regulatory agencies:

Train and enhance capacity of officials of all levels directly managing water supply in organizing implementation of safe water supply, controlling water quality and implementing water supply service agreements within their competence.

- For research institutes, education institutions and preventive medical centers:

+ Prepare materials for training and enhancing capacity in safe water supply (safe water supply preparation and implementation manuals, safe water supply supervision and assessment manuals, etc.).

+ Examine and add contents related to safe water supply to training programs of water sectors in higher education institutions.

+ Invest and provide water quality test equipment for preventive medical centers, research institutes, water suppliers of provinces and cities satisfactory to demands of water quality control.

- For water suppliers:

+ Develop plans to train and enhance capacity of officials and workers within their competence.

+ Organize seminars and conferences to provide instructions, to exchange and share experience of safe water supply.

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e) Examine, supervise and assess implementation results of safe water supply:

Conduct research and develop indicator sets for examining, supervising and assessing risk management of water supply systems to ensure safe water supply including: Area which is provided with safe water supply, indicators relating to controlling risks, water quality and quality of water supply services (pressure, continuity, etc.).

g) Publicize to raise community’s awareness:

Develop plans to publicize safe water supply and implement via various methods in order to raise awareness and responsibilities of community towards use of water resources.

h) Promote international cooperation:

- Promote international cooperation, technical exchange and cooperation with other international organizations and non-governmental organizations;

- Receive technical assistance, transfer technology and provide training relating with water supply and safe water supply.

4. Expenditure on Program implementation:

Sources of expenditure on Program implementation:

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State budget according to current level for implementation of state management tasks of ministries, central government authorities and local government authorities shall be utilized.

b) Water suppliers, public service providers and water supply consultancy units:

Water suppliers of provinces and central-affiliated cities, public service providers and water supply consultancy units shall utilize their funding sources to implement safe water supply tasks.

c) Other legal sources:

Other funding sources other than budget for implementation of safe water supple, namely: Assist research, develop policies and information, communication; invest and enhance capacity for safe water supply, conduct experiments to serve enterprise manufacturing and operation; train teams of experts and officials of ministries, local governments, enterprises, improve management capacity; invest and renovate water supply systems and safe water supply equipment, etc.

Article 2. Organization and implementation

1. Organize interdisciplinary cooperation

a) Steering Committees shall ensure safe water supply and prevent leakage of clean water:

Add further functions and tasks of the Steering Committee for clean water leakage prevention until 2025 regarding ensuring safe water supply and rename as national Steering Committee for safe water supply and clean water leakage prevention (hereinafter referred to as “Program Steering Committee”); assign members of Ministry of Health to join the Program Steering Committee; finalize operation procedures of the Steering Committee.

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Add functions, tasks and finalize operation procedures of the interdisciplinary expert team affiliated to the National program for safe water supply and clean water leakage prevention. Interdisciplinary expert team is responsible of assisting the Program Steering Committee; organize examination, supervise and assess implementation results of safe water supply.

2. Responsibilities of ministries

a) Ministry of Construction:

Ministry of Construction acting as standing authority of the Program Steering Committee shall be responsible for directing and guiding implementation of the Program, to be specific:

- Taking charge and cooperating with relevant ministries in examining, revising, developing and requesting competent authorities to issue or issuing safe water supply policies within their competence; examining and revising regulations on management of water supply in apartments and new urban areas, responsibilities between clean water wholesalers and retailers according to Decree No. 117/2007/ND-CP dated July 11, 2007 on clean water production, provision and consumption; revising Circular No. 08/2012/TT-BXD dated November 21, 2012 providing guidelines on ensuring safe water supply where indicator sets for supervising and assessing implementation of safe water supply are developed; conducting research and developing instructions on assessing people's satisfaction in water supply services.

- Examining, revising and amending systems of technical standards and regulations on safe water supply.

- Instructing lower administration divisions to prepare, approve and implement safe water supply.

- Organizing examination, supervision and encouragement of safe water supply.

- Organizing preparation of training materials and instruction on safe water supply.

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- Promoting international cooperation and exchange of experience, science, technology, finance, training and communication for implementation of the Program.

- On the basis of final reports and annual implementation plans of ministries and local governments, finalizing and preparing plans every year and every 5 years for implementation of the Program and reporting to the Program Steering Committee.

b) Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development:

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall be responsible for directing and implementing safe water supply in rural areas:

- Instructing, examining, supervising and consolidating implementation of safe water supply in rural areas.

- Examining and developing policies, technical standards and regulations on safe water supply in rural areas and directing implementation thereof.

- Develop procedures for preparing and approving safe water supply plans for rural areas; piloting and expanding safe water supply models for rural areas; developing plans, routes and assessing implementation results of safe water supply in rural areas.

- Taking charge and cooperating with relevant ministries in communicating and raising community's awareness and capacity of water suppliers and water supply regulatory agencies regarding safe water supply in rural areas.

- Producing final reports and preparing annual plans for safe water supply in rural areas and submitting to Ministry of Construction.

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Ministry of Health shall be responsible for inspecting quality of water for drinking, cooking and daily routines:

- Finalizing regulations and guidelines on inspecting water quality; examining and considering revising National Technical Regulations No. QCVN 01:2009/BYT regarding quality of water for drinking and cooking and No. QCVN 02:2009/BYT on quality of water for daily routines including procedures for examining and supervising clean water quality to ensure safe water supply.

- Enhancing water quality inspecting capacity of officials of research institutes affiliated to Ministry of Health.

- Taking charge and cooperating with relevant ministries in guiding implementation of publicizing the people regarding sufficient and hygienic use of clean water in order to facilitate disease prevention.

- Taking charge and cooperating with relevant ministries in conducting research, assessing and determining relations between digestive related diseases (diarrhoea) and water for drinking, cooking and daily routines to determine specific objectives of the Program.

- Producing final reports and preparing annual plans regarding water quality inspection and submitting to Ministry of Construction.

d) Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment:

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall be responsible for managing and protecting water resources:

- Monitoring and managing utilization and use of water sources; guiding and examining preparation and management of water source protection corridors; supervising water source pollutants.

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- Taking charge and cooperating with competent authorities in examining and taking actions against violations relating to water source protection corridors or polluting sources of water for drinking, cooking and daily routines.

- Producing final reports and preparing annual plans regarding water resource management and protection related to safe water supply and submitting to Ministry of Construction.

dd) Ministry of Planning and Investment and Ministry of Finance:

Ministry of Planning and Investment and Ministry of Finance shall rely on contents of the Program, based on request of Ministry of Construction, ministries and local governments, to balance and allocate annual capital for investment and development, and concurrent expenditure on implementation of the Program according to current budget level.

e) Other relevant ministries:

Based on functions and tasks assigned by Government, relevant ministries shall cooperate with Ministry of Construction in implementing the Program.

g) Vietnam Water Supply and Sewerage Association:

- Participating and cooperating with Ministry of Construction and relevant agencies in training and publicizing; organizing seminars and conferences to share experience of safe water supply for water suppliers;

- Cooperating with regulatory agencies in conducting research and developing indicator sets for examining, supervising and assessing implementation results of safe water supply.

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3. Responsibilities of People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities

- Preparing or developing operation of provincial Steering Committees for safe water supply and clean water leakage prevention.

- Conducting research and developing regulations and specific guidance relating to safe water supply depending on provinces within their provinces; conducting research and issuing preferential policies for meritorious organizations and individuals in ensuring safe water supply.

- Approving plans and routes to implementation of safe water supply within their competence; examining, supervising and assessing quality, progress and effectiveness of safe water supply.

- Organizing and cooperating in publicizing water source protection and instructing the people in storing and using clean and hygienic water.

- Determining and publicizing protection zones of areas for collection of domestic water according to Point a Clause 4 Article 32 of Law on Water Resource.

- Directing implementation of protection and prevention of water source and protection pollution risks, promptly handling any accidents and violations causing water source pollution and unsafe water supply systems.

- Directing Departments of Health to cooperate with relevant departments in enhancing inspecting quality of water for drinking, eating and daily routines.

- Mobilizing legal funding sources to implement Program contents within their competence.

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- Submitting reports to Ministry of Construction and Program Steering Committee on a regular basis regarding Program implementation.

4. Responsibilities of water suppliers

- Preparing and implementing plans for safe water supply to be performed by water supply system under the suppliers’ management according to approved routes; organizing supervision and assessment of implementation results of safe water supply; updating and preparing plans for further periods.

- Protecting water supply systems; cooperating with relevant agencies in examining and assessing impacts on water quality; conducting research and proposing measures to manage pollutants; selecting water sources for long-term extraction and backup water sources; promptly informing superior levels about water quality and publicizing on mass media.

- Investing and improving water supply structures; upgrading water supply supervising and controlling devices; conducting research and applying water treatment technology during water quality deterioration and salt-water intrusion; applying information technology in managing and operating water supply systems.

- Developing procedures for managing, responding and rectifying risks; assigning personnel and equipment promptly in case of accidents to minimize downtime and satisfy sustainable water supply requirements.

- Developing programs for training and enhancing capacity relating safe water supply of officials and employees within their competence.

- Publicizing and raising awareness of the people regarding water source protection, efficient and safe water usage.

- Producing reports on a regular basis on implementation of safe water supply and submitting to the provincial Steering Committees for safe water supply and Departments of Construction.

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People, inhabitants, organizations and individuals are responsible for protecting water sources, water supply systems, environment and using water efficiently; monitoring, examining water quality; detecting, informing, requesting competent agencies to take actions against violations to ensure safe water supply.

Article 3. This Decision comes into effect from the day of signing and issuance

Ministers, heads of ministerial agencies, heads of Governmental agencies, Chairpersons of People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities, and relevant organizations and individuals are responsible for implementation of this Decision./.

PP. PRIME MINISTER
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER




Trinh Dinh Dung