Circular No. 08/2012/TT-BXD dated November 21, 2012 of the Ministry of Construction guiding the implementation of safe water supply

CIRCULAR

GUIDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SAFE WATER SUPPLY

Pursuant to Decree No. 17/2008/ND-CP dated February 04, 2008 of the Government defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Construction;

Pursuant to Decree No. 117/2007/ND-CP dated July 11, 2007 of the Government on the production, supply and consumption of clean water; Decree No. 124/2011/ND-CP dated December 28, 2011 of the Government amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 117/2007/ND-CP dated November 07, 2007 of the Government on the production, supply and consumption of clean water;

At the request of the Department of Technical Infrastructure;

The Minister of Construction issues Circular guiding the implementation of safe water supply.

Article 1. Scope of adjustment and subject of application

1. This Circular guides guiding the implementation of safe water supply in the production sector and clean through the complete concentrated water supply system in urban areas and industrial zones.

2. This Circular applies to foreign and domestic organizations and individuals having operation related to the production, supply and consumption of clean water in the territory of Vietnam.

Article 2. Explanation of terms

1. Safe water supply is steady water supply, maintaining adequate and continuous pressure, sufficient water and ensuring water quality according to the set standards.

2. Assurance of safe water supply is activities to reduce, eliminate and prevent threats and risks causing unsafe water supply from water source through the process of water collection, treatment, storage and distribution to customers.

3. Water safety plan is the specific content to implement assurance of safe water supply.

Article 3. Requirement on assurance of safe water supply

1. Maintaining water pressure, providing stable and sufficient water and ensuring feed water quality according to prescribed standards.

2. Having solutions to cope with the unusual incidents, threats and risks which can occur in the entire production process and supply of clean water from sources to customer.

3. Contributing to the protection of public health, reduction of water-related diseases, prevention of epidemic diseases and socio-economic development.

4. Contributing to reduction of the rate of loss, saving of water sources and environmental protection.

Article 4. Content of safe water supply plan

1. Evaluating the current state of operation of the water supply system includes:

a) Water sources, scope of water supply, location of collection, processing, storage, transport and distribution of water;

b) Diagram of the water supply system technology process;

c) Basic information on customer.

2. Identifying, analyzing and evaluating level of threats and risks for water supply system:

a) Threats and risks from water sources and basin;

b) Threats and risks in terms of chemical, physical and biological aspects under the process of water supply system technology;

c) Threats and risks to ensure continuous water supply, flow and pressure in the water supply network to customers;

d) Determining the order of priority of threats and risks to propose measures of control and prevention.

3. Identifying measures of control, prevention and remedy of risks and making plan for deployment and application including:

a) Reviewing measures of control, prevention and remedy which are being applied;

b) Proposing additional measures of control, prevention and remedy;

c) Making plan for the application of measures to control, prevent and overcome risks.

4. Making plan for inspection and assessment of the implementation of measures of control, prevention and remedy of threats and risks.

5. Making plan and developing process of response to change occurring in the operating conditions with incidents, loss of control and emergency situations including:

a) Detecting and notifying incident;

b) Ensuring timely and continuous information, contact and proper subjects;

c) Identifying causes of incident;

d) Identifying necessary actions in response to incidents;

e) Carrying out response actions;

f) Handling incidents, recovering and stably providing customers with water quality, pressure, flow and continuity in accordance with the standards and applicable technical regulations and particular regulations of the signed contract of water supply services;

f) Identifying immediate and long-term consequences;

g) Making explanation and report;

h) Storing information and data on incidents and corrective measures;

i) Generally assessing the incidents and proposing solutions to prevent and handle incidents which may occur in the future.

6. Developing criteria and indicators for monitoring and control limits to assess the implementation of the plan of safety water supply including:

a) Water quality used for drinking and eating, living and other purposes;

b) Standards and regulations on water supply services quality as prescribed;

c) Requirements for quality management according to the ISO: 9000 management system.

7. Database management related to safe water supply:

a) Making list of documents, materials and other information related to safe water supply;

b) Building system and process of material control;

c) Establishing system of record management and support of record storage;

d) Making periodic plan for review of documents and materials and editing them when necessary;

e) Keeping records and managing materials to conduct independent assessment or look up and provide information promptly upon occurrence of incidents to the water supply system;

e) Developing mechanisms to receive and promptly handle complaints of customers or community.

8. Developing the supporting programs and deployment plan including:

a)Preventive maintenance program in order to improve the effective operation of water supply systems, increase the service life of works and equipment, prevent and minimize risks and incidents;

b)Independent assessment program to inspect the implementation of safe water supply plan;

c)Training programs to raise awareness and skills of staff and workers on safe water supply;

d)Propagation and education programs to raise community’s awareness on the protection of water sources, safe and economic use of water.

9. Developing plan to assess the performance result of safe water supply; proposing and recommend adjustment of safe water supply plan for the next stage.

Article 5. Fund for implementation of safe water supply plan

Fund for implementation of water safety plan made by water supply units and shall be included in the overall production costs in the price of clean water consumption assessed and approved as prescribed.

Article 6.Provincial-level Steering Board of safe water supply

1. The component ofprovincial-level Steering Board of safe water supply includes: representative of the provincial People s Committee; representatives of professional organs: Construction, Health (including the provincial Preventive Health Center), Natural Resources and Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, Finance, Planning and Investment, environmental Police; representative of water supply units and other organizations and agencies concerned.

2. Tasks of provincial-level Steering Board of safe water supply

a)Directing, coordinating, guiding, monitoring, inspecting, reviewing and assessing the implementation results of the water safety plan which has been approved by the competent authorities;

b)Assuming the prime responsibility and coordinating with the relevant agencies in the protection and the prevention of risks of water pollution, water source protection area. Directing the timely remedy and handling of these incidents and violations of water source pollution at the location of water collection of water supply works and other works in the water supply system;

c) Mobilizing domestic and foreign resources to support the implementation of tasks, programs and projects in the safe water supply plan;

d)Preparing the annual operation funding of the Steering Board for submission to the provincial-level People s Committee for approval;

e)Directing the propagation and education to raisethe community’s awareness of the protection of water sources and economical and safe use of water.

3.Standing organ of the SteeringBoard is the Service of Construction. The members of the Steering Board shall work on a part-time basis and use the assistance apparatus of their agency to carry out the tasks assigned by the head ofthe Steering Board.

4. The operating fund of theSteering Board shall be allocated from the local annual budget resources.

Article 7. Responsibilities of organizations and individuals in the preparation, approval, and implementation of safe water supply plan

1. Responsibilities of provincial-level People s Committees:

a)Making decision on establishment, issuing regulations on operation of the provincial-levelSteering Committee of safe water supply;

b)Approving plan and roadmap for implementation of safe water safety plan under the authority;

c)Specifying functions, tasks, assignment and decentralization of management to the specialized agencies and People s Committees at all levels under their management to implement safe water supply plan;

d) Approving and allocating the operating fund of the Steering Committee of safe water supply;

e) Issuing mechanism, preferential policies, encouragement and commendation and award to the organizations and individuals that implement and maintain well the safe water supply plan.

2. Responsibilities of People s Committees at district and commune level.

People s Committees at district and commune level shall coordinate the implementation ofsafe water supply plan as assigned by the Provincial People s Committees and organize the monitoring of the implementation of safe water supply plan in areas under their management.

3. Responsibilities of the Service of Construction

a)Performing permanent tasks of the provincial-level Steering Board ofsafe water supply;

b)Assessing and submitting the safe water supply plan to the provincial-level People s Committees for approval;

c)Inspecting, assessing, summarizing and making annual and irregular reports on the implementation of safe water supply plan to the provincial-level People s Committee and the Ministry of Construction.

4. Responsibilities of water supply units

a)Making safe water supply plan of the water supply systems under their management under the provisions of Article 4 of this Circular for submission to the competent authority for approval;

b)Organizing the implementation of safe water supply plan in accordance with the roadmap and tasks approved;

c)Coordinating with the relevant agencies to assess the impacts affecting quality of water sources, proposing measures to manage pollution sources in order to protect and maintain water quality and recommending competent agencies to handle cases causing water pollution, promptly notifying the quality situation of feed water on the mass media;

d)Identifying boundary, installing signage and safely protecting water collection areas, water supply systems; timely detecting and preventing, proposing the competent agencies to handle acts of infringement, causing unsafety for the operation of water supply in areas under their management;

e)Settling and handling incidents, recovering and stably supplying water to customers after incidents of the system of water production and supply under their management;

f)Proposing the selection of water sources for reserved and long-term extraction, and treatment technologies in accordance with each stage in order to ensure quality and efficiency of water supply services;

g)Establishing asafe water supply division of the unit to develop and implement safe water supply plan. The staff of the safe water supply division of the unit must have professional experience in management and operation of water supply systems;

h)Participating in propagation and advocacy to raise people’s awareness of the protection of water sources and economical and safe use of water. Coordinating with the schools to organize extra-curricular training sessions to introduce pupils and students the meaning and the importance of clean water and issues of environmental protection;

i)Making periodic report on the implementation of safe water supply plan for submission to the provincial-level Steering Board and Service of Construction.

5.Responsibilities of organizations and individuals concerned

Implementing the provisions of the law on production, supply and consumption of clean water. At the same time, detecting, preventing and proposing the competent agencies to handle violations in order to ensure the implementation of safe water supply plan.

Article 8. Inspection and examination

People s Committees at all levels and the specialized agencies based on their functions, duties and powers, shall organize periodic and irregular and inspection and examination of the implementation of the provisions on ensuring safe water supply in areas under their management under the provisions of the law on inspection and examination.

Article 9. Effect

1.This Circular takes effect from January 04, 2013 and supersedes the Regulation on water supply safety issued together with Decision No. 16/2008/QĐ-BXD dated December 31, 2008 of the Minister of Construction.

2.Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, the agencies under the Government, the Chairman of People s Committee of centrally-affiliated provinces and cities and other relevant organizations and individuals shall implement this Circular.

3.Any problem arising in the course of implementation should be promptly reported to the Ministry of Construction for consideration and settlement.