A household in HCM City’s Bình Tân District still uses water from a well despite having access to tap water (Photo tuoitre.vn)HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City is consideringan eight-year plan to reduce the exploitation of groundwater resources in anaim to protect residents’ health and avoid risks of land subsidence.
The city’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmenthas submitted the plan to the city’s People’s Committee for approval.
Under the plan, the total volume of groundwater exploitationwould be reduced to 330,000cu.m a day by 2019; about 200,000cu.m a day from the2020-23 period, and 100,000cu.m a day by 2025.
Nguyen Thi Thanh My, deputy director of the department, saidthat over 700,000cu.m of groundwater were exploited daily in the city, mostlyserving households and manufacturing activities.
The department will gradually reduce groundwater exploitationin 24 districts; stop the operation of old and illegal water wells; and installtap water systems in the areas where groundwater is tapped.
The water wells for irrigation and animal husbandry will beallowed to operate in outlying districts, according to My.
The city’s People’s Committee has asked the department tocompile a list of locations where groundwater exploitation could endanger localresidents and the environment.
In addition, the city will not issue new licences to exploitunderground water, and will strictly punish violators.
The department and district authorities will be asked topromote awareness of the damage of over-exploitation of groundwater resources,and to call on residents and enterprises to stop using well water.
Protection measures and management solutions will beidentified to ensure sustainable water exploitation.
Groundwater can be harmful to users’ health because ofdangerous chemicals or wastewater.
According to a recent Preventive Health Centre investigation,water samples from wells showed concentrations of iron, pH, E.coli bacteria andammonia that failed to meet standards set by the Ministry of Health.
Besides depletion of groundwater, excessive exploitation canalso cause land subsidence and flooding.
Since the beginning of the year, the city has supplied cleanwater to all residents, but many households for years have refused to useavailable tap water.-VNA
VNA
