Decision 1622/QD-TTg 2022 Plan on water resources for 2021-2030

DECISION

Approving the Master Plan on water resources for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050^[1]

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the June 19, 2015 Law on Organization of the Government; and the November 22, 2019 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Organization of the Government and the Law on Organization of Local Administration;

Pursuant to the November 24, 2017 Planning Law;

Pursuant to the June 21, 2012 Law on Water Resources;

Pursuant to the November 20, 2018 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of 37 Laws concerning planning;

Pursuant to the National Assembly Standing Committee’s Resolution No. 751/2019/UBTVQH14 of August 16, 2019, on interpretation of a number of articles of the Planning Law;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 1748/QD-TTg of December 4, 2019, approving the task of formulating the Master Plan on water resources for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050;

At the proposal of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment and based on Appraisal Report No. 110/BC-HDTD of November 16, 2022, of the Appraisal Council for the Master Plan on Water Resources for the 2021-2030 Period, with a Vision toward 2050,

DECIDES:

Article 1. To approve the Master Plan on water resources for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050 (below referred to as the Master Plan), with the following principal contents:

I. VIEWPOINTS

1. Water is a special national resource, a basic component of the natural ecosystem, and related to all economic, social, national defense and security activities of the country. The Master Plan must be strategic, and ensure a long-term vision, overall orientations, and regulation and distribution of water resources to achieve the objectives set forth in the Strategy for the 2021-2030 ten-year socio-economic development, giving priority to supply of water for daily-life activities, social security stability, hunger elimination and poverty reduction, in harmony with the development requirements of each sector or locality and the community. The Master Plan serves as a basis for the formulation of national sectoral master plans involving water exploitation and use, regional master plans and provincial master plans.

2. Water resources shall be managed, used and developed in a sustainable, integrated and uniform manner in river basins and inter-regional and inter-provincial areas and approached on the socialist-oriented market principle; all demands for water for socio-economic development must be consistent with functions and supply capacity of watercourses in order to ensure economical, efficient, fair, rational and multi-purpose water use, protection of the environment and aquatic ecosystems, adaptation to climate change, and assurance of national water security.

3. To protect water resources both quantitatively and qualitatively, harmoniously combine protection with maintenance and development of aquatic living resources, raise water storage capacity, and restore degraded, depleted or polluted watercourses; to enter into cooperation on, and fairly and rationally share, transboundary water resources; to prevent, control, and remediate the consequences of, water-caused harms with the motto of regarding prevention as a key factor and minimizing loss.

II. OBJECTIVES

1. General objectives

To ensure national water security; to manage, protect and efficiently and sustainably use water resources; to regulate, distribute and protect water resources, and prevent, control, and remediate the consequences of, water-caused harms with a view to ensuring balance in demands for water for the people’s daily-life, socio-economic development and environmental protection, and minimizing damage to the people’s lives and property; to control quality and reserves of watercourses, raise water storage capacity in river basins, economic regions and localities, and ensure national defense and security in conformity with functions and supply capacity of watercourses in the context of climate change; to strive for integrated water governance on the platform of digital technology; to manage and use water resources in a circular cycle, ensuring conservation, efficiency and multiple-purpose use, meeting requirements of fast and sustainable national development.

2. Objectives through 2030

- To regulate and distribute water resources in a fair and rational manner among sectors, localities and water exploiters/users under the general master plan on inter-provincial river basins, ensuring conformity with economic development and social security strategies.

- By 2025, all large and important river basins will be included in the general master plan on inter-provincial river basins.

- To ensure watercourses for raising the rate of clean water for domestic use to 95%-100%, for urban residents, and 65%, for rural residents.

- To basically control 90% of water exploitation and use activities; to raise efficiency and capacity of water exploitation and use and minimize water loss in the system of hydraulic structures; to reduce the water loss rate in water supply activities to 10%.

- To effectively remedy drought and water shortage in the dry season in river basins and areas where it is difficult to access watercourses, particularly in the Southern Central region, Central Highlands, Mekong River delta, and remote and deep-lying areas, and on islands.

- To protect watercourses, control and prevent the degradation, depletion and pollution of watercourses, striving for the target that by 2030, at least 30% of the total wastewater volume in urban centers of grade II or higher grade and at least 10% of the total wastewater volume in urban centers of grade V or higher grade will be collected and treated up to standards or technical regulations before being discharged into the environment.

- To improve and restore important watercourses that are degraded, depleted or polluted, giving priority to river sections flowing through concentrated residential areas, and watercourses that are vital to water supply for domestic use and socio-economic development activities toward mobilization of social resources, particularly on the main streams of Red, Ca, Vu Gia-Thu Bon and Ba rivers.

- To complete the delimitation and announcement of zones where groundwater exploitation is restricted; leveling is not allowed for ponds, lakes and lagoons; to prevent and control collapse and subsidence due to groundwater exploitation.

- To complete the establishment and announcement of watercourse protection corridors, ensure flow circulation, prevent and control collapse and landslides on riverbanks, and mitigate water-caused harms.

- To protect watercourses related to religious and belief activities that are of high value in biodiversity and cultural conservation.

- To raise the level of national water security for bringing Vietnam to the group of countries effectively practicing water security in Southeast Asia.

- To practice water governance on the platform of digital technology, meeting requirements of the integrated management of water resources in river basins and adaptation to climate change.

3. Vision toward 2050

To raise the national water security index for bringing Vietnam to the group of countries effectively practicing water security in the world; to strive for the target that the country will be proactive in watercourses in all circumstances, make forecasts, regulate water, prevent flood, drought, saltwater intrusion, pollution, and degradation and depletion of watercourses, and respond to climate change.

III. SCOPE OF THE MASTER PLAN

The Master Plan must set orientations for the management, regulation, distribution, exploitation, use and protection of water resources, and prevention and control of water-caused harms nationwide and in socio-economic development regions and river basins, specifically as follows:

1. Socio-economic development regions

a/ The northern midlands and mountainous region, covering 14 provinces (Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Hoa Binh, Cao Bang, Lang Son, Bac Giang, Thai Nguyen, Bac Can, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho, Lao Cai, and Yen Bai) in the upper and middle areas of the Red-Thai Binh river basin (around 79% of the region’s area), the Bang Giang-Ky Cung river basin (some 12% of the region’s area), and part of the upper areas of the Ma river basin (about 9% of the region’s area).

b/ The Red River delta, embracing 11 provinces and cities (Hanoi, Hai Phong, Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, Thai Binh, Ha Nam, Nam Dinh, Bac Ninh, Vinh Phuc, and Quang Ninh), in the lower areas of the Red-Thai Binh river basin (around 86% of the region’s area) and coastal independent rivers of Quang Ninh province (around 14% of the region’s area).

c/ The North  and South Central Coast, including 14 provinces and cities (Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, and Binh Thuan) in the basins of Ma, Ca, Huong, Vu Gia-Thu Bon, Tra Khuc, and Kon-Ha Thanh rivers, coastal rivers from Quang Binh province to Binh Thuan province (about 86% of the region’s area), and part of the lower areas of Ba and Dong Nai river basins (14% of the region’s area).

d/ The Central Highlands, including 5 provinces (Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, and Lam Dong) in the basins of Se San and Srepok rivers (about 57% of the region’s area), part of the upper areas of the Dong Nai river basin (around 21% of the region’s area) and the upper areas of the Ba river basin (around 22% of the region’s area).

dd/ The Southeast region, including 6 provinces and cities (Ho Chi Minh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, and Tay Ninh) mainly in the Dong Nai river basin (about 92% of the region’s area) and the Ray river basin and surrounding areas of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province (8% of the region’s area).

e/ The Mekong River delta, embracing 13 provinces and cities (Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, An Giang, Kien Giang, Can Tho, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, and Ca Mau) mostly in the Mekong River basin (about 93% of the region’s area), and part of the Dong Nai river basin (around 7% of the region’s area).

2. River basins, including 13 basins of major rivers (Bang Giang-Ky Cung, Red-Thai Binh, Ma, Ca, Huong, Vu Gia-Thu Bon, Tra Khuc, Kon-Ha Thanh, Ba, Se San, Srepok, Dong Nai, and Mekong), and coastal river basins in the territory of Vietnam.

3. Islands: Van Don, Bach Long Vi, Cat Ba, Ly Son, Phu Quy, Con Dao, and Phu Quoc. For the Paracel islands, Spratly islands and other islets, studies shall be included in specialized technical master plans and provincial master plans.

IV. MANAGEMENT, REGULATION, DISTRIBUTION, EXPLOITATION, USE AND PROTECTION OF WATER RESOURCES, PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF WATER-CAUSED HARMS

1. Water resources

a/ The total average water volume nationwide for many years is about 935.9 billion m³/year, of which:

- Surface water: around 844.4 billion m³/year (of which the water volume in the flood season which lasts for 3-5 months accounts for some 72%, and in the dry season which lasts for 7-9 months, around 28%), of which the internal water volume is around 340 billion m³/year (accounting for some 40%), and the external water volume, around 504.4 billion m³/year (some 60%); the total storage capacity of reservoirs (irrigation and hydropower reservoirs) each of a capacity of 0.05 million m³ or more is around 68.7 billion m³.

- Groundwater: around 91.5 billion m³/year (including 22.4 billion m³/year of saltwater and 69.1 billion m³/year of freshwater).

b/ Distribution of water resources:

- Surface water: distributed in the basins of Mekong River with 474.1 billion m³/year (accounting for some 56.2%), Red-Thai Binh river with around 148.3 billion m³/year (around 18%), and Dong Nai river with around 40 billion m³/year (some 4.7%), and the remaining 10 large river basins and coastal river basins making up 21.1% of the total water volume.

- Groundwater: distributed in the basins of Mekong River with 25.8 billion m³/year (making up some 28.2%), Red-Thai Binh river with around 22.1 billion m³/year (24.1%), and Dong Nai river with around 11.6 billion m³/year (12.7%); and the remaining river basins making up 35% of the total water volume.

(Detailed information on water resources by region, river basin and season is provided in Appendix I to this Decision).

c/ The total water volume is around 9,589 m³/person/year, of which the internal water volume is around 4,421 m³/person/year.

d/ Surface water remains the main source of water to meet water needs of sectors and for socio-economic development in almost all regions and river basins during the planning period.

For areas frequently suffering saltwater intrusion, ethnic minority areas, border areas, islands, and areas facing water scarcity or difficulty in access to surface watercourses, it is necessary to seek and use groundwater, promote the exploitation and use of rainwater, and apply solutions for rainwater and surface water storage to supply water for domestic use and production, particularly in the Central Highlands in the basins of Se San and Srepok rivers and upper areas of Dong Nai river; the northern midlands and mountainous region and the Mekong River delta coastal region.

2. Distribution of watercourses in regions and river basins

a/ The distribution of watercourses must ensure flexibility, fairness, efficiency and rationality among water exploiters/users in regions and river basins, based on the current status and functions of watercourses, requirements for minimum flow maintenance, groundwater exploitation thresholds and supply capacity of watercourses so as to meet water demand of around 122.5 billion m³/year by 2030 and around 131.7 billion m³/year by 2050 (details are provided in Appendix II to this Decision), ensuring adherence to the following principles:

- In all cases, priority will be given to supply of water for domestic use.

- Under normal conditions, water will be distributed to meet water demand of sectors, ensuring water conservation and efficiency. The order of priority varies by region, river basin, season and socio-economic development conditions.

- In case of drought leading to water shortage, it is required to limit the distribution of water for water-intensive but not urgent activities in order to give priority to domestic-use purposes and water-efficient activities. Water distribution plans must be based on the severity of drought and water shortage and clearly define responsibilities of ministries, ministerial-level agencies and localities for implementing response solutions to ensure consistency, synchronism and efficiency.

- To limit the distribution of watercourses to inefficient water users, causing water loss and waste, particularly in areas facing water scarcity, frequent drought, water shortage or saltwater intrusion.

- To take solutions to strictly control water use by sectors, such as reviewing and considering reduction of the proportion of water supply for sectors failing to use water economically and efficiently; to prioritize water supply for essential needs and sectors using water with high economic efficiency.

b/ To control, regulate and distribute watercourses with appropriate flows in large-scale water conveyance facilities in river basins so as not to cause degradation or depletion of downstream flows and to raise water supply efficiency in the main streams of major and important rivers in the Red River delta, the Northe and South Central Coast and the Mekong River delta, such as Xuan Quan sewer (Red-Thai Binh rivers), Bai Thuong dam (Ma river), Do Luong dam and Nam Dan sewer (Ca river), An Trach, Ha Thanh, Thanh Quyt and Bau Nit dams (Vu Gia-Thu Bon rivers), Thach Nham dam (Tra Khuc river), Dong Cam dam (Ba river), Van Phong dam and downstream dams (Kon-Ha Thanh rivers), and sewer system demarcating production units by freshwater ecoregion, brackish water ecoregion and saltwater ecoregion of the Mekong River basin, etc.

c/ Water conveyance among river basins:

- In the period from now to 2030, to limit the additional construction of water conveyance facilities among major river basins. When it is necessary to convey water among major river basins, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall, based on results of detailed evaluation of economic, social and environmental impacts of the river basins from which water is conveyed and the river basins to which water is conveyed, coordinate with related ministries, ministerial-level agencies and localities in summing up, reporting thereon to, and proposing, the Prime Minister to direct or decide on additional construction of such facilities according to its competence in order to ensure water security and socio-economic development.

To improve the efficiency of existing inter-basin water conveyance facilities (from Vu Gia river to Thu Bon river, from Ba river to Kon river, from Se San river to Tra Khuc river, and from Dong Nai river to coastal rivers of Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan provinces, etc.), in order to minimize adverse impacts on lower areas of basins of the rivers from which water is conveyed, increase water use efficiency, and ensure fairness and rationality for basins of the rivers to which water is conveyed.

- For water conveyance among river sub-basins, it must comply with the approved provincial master plans or general master plan on river basins. In case the provincial master plans or general master plan on river basins do(es) not specify water conveyance among river sub-basins or have(has) not been approved, the state management agencies in charge of water resources shall, based on results of detailed evaluation of socio-economic and environmental impacts of basins of the rivers from which water is conveyed and basins of the rivers to which water is conveyed, consider and decide on water conveyance according to their competence.

d/ To mobilize to the utmost and raise the role of regulating the existing important large hydropower and irrigation reservoirs in basins of 11 major rivers (Red, Ma, Ca, Huong, Vu Gia-Thu Bon, Tra Khuc, Ba, Kon-Ha Thanh, Se San, Srepok, and Dong Nai), and medium and large reservoirs in coastal independent river basins for regulating and supplying water for downstream areas, ensuring conformity with resources, water exploitation needs and water supply capacity.

To review, and improve the capacity and efficiency of, water intake structures suitable to watercourse conditions, particularly large hydraulic structures and systems in downstream areas of river basins, so as to ensure water efficiency and minimize water loss and waste.

dd/ Large-scale works for water regulation, exploitation and use:

Large-scale works for water regulation, exploitation and use such as reservoirs, dams and other works that are vital to water regulation and supply in river basins are specified in Appendix V to this Decision.

- In the period from now to 2030, to limit the additional construction of large-scale works for water regulation, exploitation and use on Thao river and in downstream areas on the main streams of major river basins and coastal independent river basins. When such additional construction is necessary, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall, based on proposals of related agencies and units, assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries, agencies and localities in, considering and appraising contents related to watercourses, summing up and reporting thereon to, and proposing, the Prime Minister to make consideration and decision.

- To study additional construction of large-scale watercourse development works on tributary streams toward multi-purpose use (construction of new reservoirs or increase of water storage capacity and use of death storage of existing reservoirs) in basins of such rivers as Ma, Ca, Vu Gia-Thu Bon, Ba, Se San, Srepok and Dong Nai.

- The construction of new works for water resource exploitation must ensure their multi-purpose use, conservation and efficiency. The proposal, adjustment or supplementation for the construction of such works must comply with the general mater plan on river basins for localities where the works are to be built.

In case the general mater plan on river basins does not state the construction of works for water resource exploitation or has not yet been approved, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall, based on watercourse capacity, exploitation status and purpose, and socio-economic efficiency of the works, and requirements on environmental protection and prevention and control of water-caused harms, assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries, ministerial-level agencies and localities in, considering and appraising contents related to watercourses, summing up and reporting thereon to, and proposing, the Prime Minister to make consideration and decision.

For works in river basins for which it is not required to formulate the general master plan on river basins, provincial-level People’s Committees of localities where such works are to be built or the Ministry in charge of formulating master plans shall consult the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment before adding such works to the relevant national sector master plan, provincial master plan or specialized technical master plan in accordance with the planning law.

3. Protection of water resources and prevention and control of water-caused harms

a/ Watercourses shall be divided into functional zones as a basis for implementing measures to manage, protect and develop water resources and prevent and control water-caused harms.

b/ Development of aquatic living resources: To maintain and protect watershed protection forests and special-use forests and restore degraded watershed protection forest areas in order to protect aquatic living resources in regions and river basins nationwide, particularly in the northern midlands and mountainous region, the North and South Central Coast and the Central Highlands; to protect groundwater supply sources, particularly groundwater supply sources in the Red River delta, Mekong River delta, Southeastern region, and coastal delta areas of the North and South Central Coast.

c/ To enhance the protection of watercourses to supply water for domestic use and some other important purposes:

- To ensure watercourses for supply of water for domestic use in river basins, particularly for large urban centers in downstream areas of river basins such as Hanoi city in the Red-Thai Binh river basin; Da Nang city in the Vu Gia-Thu Bon river basin; and Dong Nai province and Ho Chi Minh City in the Dong Nai river basin.

- To protect and maintain watercourses for protection of biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems as well as water-based tourism activities and cultural festivals for river basins, particularly Huong, Vu Gia-Thu Bon, Se San, Srepok, Dong Nai and Mekong river basins.

d/ To improve and restore degraded, depleted or polluted watercourses:

- To improve and restore degraded, depleted and polluted rivers and river sections that are vital to water supply and maintenance and protection of aquatic ecosystems. Priority will be given to the Cau, Ngu Huyen Khe, Nhue, Day, and Bac Hung Hai rivers in the Red River delta; Vu Gia river, the lower areas of Tra Khuc river behind Thach Nham dam in the Central Coast; in the upper areas of Ba river behind An Khe dam in the Central Highlands and the lower areas of Dong Nai river in the Southeastern region.

- To restore degraded, depleted or polluted aquifers; to increase artificial recharge of groundwater, particularly artificial recharge from rainwater sources in urban areas, giving priority to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and provinces in the Mekong River delta.

dd/ To prevent and control water degradation, depletion and pollution:

- To limit the increase in the groundwater exploitation flow or take rational exploitation solutions in urban areas at risk of excessive water-level lowering or land subsidence, ensuring no excess of water level and flow thresholds; to formulate plans and roadmaps to rationally adjust the groundwater exploitation in areas at risk of excessive water-level lowering, pollution, saltwater intrusion, or land collapse and subsidence.

To rationally adjust exploitation flow in areas where water has been overexploited in conformity with reality, particularly the Red River delta, Mekong River delta and some other localities such as Dong Nai and Binh Duong in the Dong Nai river basin of the southeastern region.

- To formulate and implement roadmaps and plans for alternative exploitation of surface water in the rainy season and groundwater in the dry season in areas where surface watercourses frequently suffer saltwater intrusion in the dry season; to take solutions to recharge water from rainwater and surface water in the rainy season for groundwater, particularly for areas facing surface water scarcity and areas where groundwater exploitation is restricted.

- To minimize the decline in water levels of rivers, ensuring satisfaction of water level requirements for water exploitation activities in rivers, navigation, and protection of the eco-environment, particularly in the lower areas of the Red-Thai Binh river basin in the Red River delta, and the lower areas of basins of Ma and Ca rivers in the North and South Central Coast.

- To strictly control the discharge of wastewater from production establishments, urban areas and concentrated residential areas to ensure the functions of watercourses under regulations.

e/ Prevention, control and remediation of consequences of water-caused harms:

- To ensure that the planning on construction of urban areas, residential areas, traffic works and riverine production activities must neither obstruct flows nor cause man-made waterlogging, and facilitate water drainage; to intensify management measures so as not to permit the leveling of lakes and ponds with the function of prevention and control of waterlogging in residential areas.

- To enhance the management of sand, gravel and mineral mining activities and navigation activities in rivers; and such riverine activities as construction of urban areas and residential areas, and other production activities resulting in the increase of landslides in riverbeds and riverbanks, particularly those of rivers that are vital to water supply for large-scale water intake structures and important navigation activities.

4. Control and regulation of international watercourses

a/ To intensify cooperation and effectively implement treaties and agreements on cooperation on water resources with upstream States sharing watercourses States with Vietnam on the principle of optimizing the benefits of watercourses on the basis of equality of sovereignty and territorial integrity, fair and rational use, ensuring the achievement of sustainable development goals for basins.

b/ For the Se San and Srepok river basins, it is required to ensure rational control and regulation on the basis of harmonizing interests and watercourse capacity between Vietnam and Cambodia.

c/ To improve the efficiency of water use and control of international watercourses in order to take the initiative in exploiting, regulating and distributing watercourses in order to minimize dependence on these international watercourses; to build and complete the system for monitoring water resources of international rivers, particularly Da, Thao, Lo, Ma, Ca and Mekong rivers.

5. In the general master plan on river basins, it is necessary to study and identify regions, sub-regions, river sub-basins and watercourses prioritized for formulation of detailed master plans on regulation, distribution, protection and development of water resources, and prevention, control and remediation of consequences of water-caused harms.

6. Detailed information on orientations for management, regulation, distribution, exploitation, use and protection of water resources, prevention and control of water-caused harms in regions and river basins is provided in Appendix III and Appendix IV to this Decision.

V. MAIN SOLUTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MASTER PLAN

1. Legal and policy solutions

- To review and revise institutions and policies in the direction of including provisions on water management in a water code to facilitate comprehensive management, control and regulation of water-related issues on the basis of unified management of water resources; mobilization of social resources for baseline survey, investment, construction and revitalization of polluted, degraded or depleted rivers, ensuring harmony of interests of the State and enterprises; to collect and store rainwater to fight urban waterlogging; financial obligations for organizations and individuals benefiting from the watercourse protection and revitalization; and management of water supply services.

- To further renovate and strengthen river basin commissions so that they can become fully competent, have sufficient resources, and effectively and efficiently operate for solving inter-regional and interdisciplinary issues in the exploitation, use and protection of watercourses; to formulate and effectively implement mechanisms for coordination and supervision of the exploitation and protection of water resources, prevention and control of water-caused harms and mitigation of climate change impacts on national water security.

- To intensify the use of economic tools in preventing and treating pollution, degradation and depletion of watercourses; exploitation and use of water resources; and mobilization of all social resources for the provision of water services.

- To review, supplement and improve policies on payment of forest environmental services, taxes, charges, and levy for grant of the right to exploit water resources, ensuring accurate and full calculation of the value of water resources.

- To study and formulate mechanisms and policies for sharing and distribution of revenues from the exploitation and use of water resources in downstream localities in order to cover payment for upstream localities in the protection and development of forests and waters.

2. Financial and investment solutions

- To increase investment capital and effectively use state budget funds in accordance with the law on the state budget and the law on public investment and other lawful funding sources for the implementation of the Master Plan.

- To additionally allocate state budget funds for watercourse protection and restoration; to grant incentives for investment in the exploitation and supply of water for domestic use; to diversify investment resources related to climate change that affects water resources.

- To strengthen, encourage and mobilize domestic and foreign social resources for the protection and development of water resources, prevention, control and remediation of consequences of water-caused harms, and scientific and technological development for exploitation and efficient use of water and improvement of wastewater treatment efficiency.

- To prioritize the provision of ODA loans for schemes and investment projects on the establishment and completion of information systems and databases, and support for real-time decision-making; water storage facilities for watercourse regulation and distribution; protection of water resources, prevention, control and remediation of consequences of water-caused harms and adaptation to climate change.

3. Science-technology and international cooperation solutions

- To intensify research and cooperation in science and technology transfer in order to work out appropriate measures and solutions to implement contents and tasks on assurance of national water security; to prioritize water-related monitoring, forecasting and warning activities; to ensure water conservation and efficiency.

- To build a database on water resources, and exploitation, use and discharge of wastewater into watercourses; weather data; remote sensing data, GIS, and satellite image information using smart technology and artificial intelligence serving the water resource management.

- To apply advanced and modern technologies, and intensify basic surveys serving the sustainable management of water resources in combination with the protection of national sovereignty, especially in border areas and on islands.

- To study developing a toolkit to support real-time decision-making on regulation, distribution and protection of water resources; to study and formulate a national key program on water security; to study and develop a set of digital maps on real-time warning of the severity of drought, water shortage and saltwater intrusion.

- To intensify cooperation with States sharing watercources with Vietnam in sharing information and data on meteorological, hydrological and water resource monitoring, operational data, and information on the master plan on water exploitation and use facilities; to formulate and consolidate mechanisms for cooperation and settlement of contradictions and conflicts related to international water resources, ensuring adherence to the principles of fairness, rationality, harmony of interests of States, and conformity with treaties and international practices.

- To increase negotiations with and call on States sharing watercources with Vietnam to accede to the Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses, and effectively implement the Mekong Agreement, the Water Code and cooperation mechanisms in transboundary river basins in order to resolve issues arising in the exploitation, use and protection of international watercourses.

To strengthen the connectivity of sub-regional cooperation mechanisms, including linking cooperation of the Mekong River Commission with Mekong sub-region cooperation mechanisms, and ASEAN cooperation, in order to optimize resources of riparian countries and the support of international partners to ensure effective and sustainable exploitation and use of water resources and related natural resources in transboundary river basins; to raise the capacity for research, training, and transfer of science and technology in the water resource management.

4. Solutions on public communication for awareness raising

- To formulate and implement communication programs with appropriate contents and forms for each target group in society on the law on water resources in general and solutions on the regulation, distribution, protection and development of water resources, and exploitation and effective and economical use of water.

- To bring into play the role of the mass media in raising public awareness about water security guidelines, policies and regulations.

- To develop, implement and maintain contents of education about water resource protection awareness in the education system.

- To formulate plans on public communication about the key contents of the Master Plan, including objectives, orientations and tasks, programs and schemes for implementation to related ministries, ministerial-level agencies and localities in order to ensure the consistency, synchrony and efficiency of the Master Plan.

5. Training and capacity building solutions

- To review, evaluate and consolidate human resources in water resource management at the central and local levels; to formulate and implement appropriate training and further training plans and programs to meet requirements of water resource management.

- To organize training courses for and improvement of professional qualifications and managerial skills for staffs engaged in management work, scientific research and water resource management.

- To implement policies on preferential treatment and attraction of high-quality human resources to participate in water resource management activities, and form a contingent of experts at the central and local levels. To improve the quality of scientific and technological research staffs in the field of water resources.

- To increase physical foundations and equipment serving the management and monitoring of water resources, monitoring of the exploitation and use of water resources, inspection, examination, as well as scientific research, survey, evaluation, inventory, and establishment of the database on water resources.

6. Solutions regarding organization and supervision of the implementation of the Master Plan

a/ Regarding the management, regulation, distribution, protection, development and supervision of water resources:

- To accelerate the implementation of the Master Plan, and the formulation and implementation of the general master plan on river basins.

- To intensify basic surveys of water resources to provide information and data for the formulation and adjustment of the Master Plan and the formulation of water use plans in order to sufficiently supply water for sectors and fields.

- To prioritize surveying and exploring groundwater sources, particularly deep aquifers to supply water for domestic use in areas frequently affected by saltwater intrusion, ethnic minority and border areas, islands, areas facing water scarcity and areas facing special socio-economic difficulties.

- To intensify the implementation of solutions to store flood water and retain freshwater at a scale suitable to each area or river basin in order to effectively overcome drought and water shortage in the dry season in the South Central Coast, Central Highlands and Mekong River delta, deep-lying and remote areas and on islands; to implement solutions to limit the exploitation, and for artificial recharge, of groundwater.

- To intensify investment in the systems of monitoring of water resources, supervision of the exploitation and use of water resources and discharge of wastewater into watercourses, forecasting and warning of levels of water shortage, pollution and degradation of watercourses, saltwater intrusion; to build and operate a national water resource information, data and surveillance system; to carry out digital transformation, connection and sharing of watercourse data among authorities at all levels, ministries, sectors and localities.

- To apply advanced technologies to closely monitor and supervise international watercourses, detect abnormal phenomena regarding the flow, level and quality of watercourses.

- To carry out overall evaluation of impacts of development activities in the Mekong, Red-Thai Binh, Ma and Ca river basins on Vietnam in the context of increased water use in these river basins and climate change, and propose solutions to ensure national water security.

- To enhance the role of river basin organizations and communities in supervising the exploitation, use, protection and development of water resources and supervising the implementation of the Master Plan.

b/ Regarding the improvement of efficiency of water use in sectors and fields

- To review and adjust 11 processes of inter-reservoir operation in large river basins toward real-time regulation and operation for raising of the capacity to supply water for downstream areas, prevent and control floods, and respond to climate change, serve socio-economic development, thus contributing to ensuring national energy security.

- To study and add watercourse development works in the direction of multi-purpose water use on tributaries of such rivers as Red-Thai Binh, Ma, Ca, Vu Gia-Thu Bon, Ba, Se San, Srepok and Dong Nai.

- To review, adjust and synchronize infrastructure facilities for water supply, raise the operational efficiency of water supply systems, particularly small-scale, unsustainable and inefficient ones; to intensify investment in works for exploitation of water from stable watercourses to replace watercourses at risk of degradation, depletion or pollution.

- To review and adjust operation processes of irrigation reservoirs, hydropower reservoirs, hydraulic structure systems toward raising the capacity and efficiency of key works and irrigation canals and water storage and conveyance facilities in the direction of multiple-purpose use in combination with improvement of the water environment in rivers and canals and, at the same time, minimize water loss and waste.

- To step up restructuring of industries to make them environmentally friendly and use less water; to intensify the application of solutions to economically and efficiently use water, and recycle and reuse wastewater right at the stage of project engineering.

- To complete systems of conveying water from existing hydraulic structures; for regions facing water scarcity, particularly the Central Coast; to study solutions to replace open water-conveyance facilities with closed water-conveyance facilities by pipeline, thereby minimizing water loss in the course of use.

- To review and restructure crops and crop seasons and production to match watercourses in each region or river basin. Annually, based on long-, medium- and short-term hydrometeorological forecast bulletins, localities shall base themselves on the situation of watercourses and water supply capacity to review and adjust crops and crop structure and production plans as suitable to the capacity of watercourses in river basins.

c/ Regarding the protection of watercourses, development of aquatic living resources and prevention and control of water-caused harms

- To strictly control the exploitation and use of water for watercourses already and currently in danger of degradation, depletion, saltwater intrusion or land subsidence, especially in urban centers and concentrated residential areas; to protect groundwater supply zones, particularly aquifers in the Red River delta, Mekong River delta, the Southeastern region and the coastal delta areas in the North and South Central Coast.

- To supervise the operation of reservoirs according to the inter-reservoir operation process in 11 river basins and approved single-reservoir operation processes, and other activities of water resource exploitation and use.

- To strictly control activities that are likely to cause watercourse pollution, degradation or depletion in order to ensure water security, especially watercourses with the function of supplying water for domestic use in large urban centers and concentrated residential areas.

- To limit and eventually prohibit the use of toxic chemicals in agricultural production and aquaculture that pollute watercourses; to enhance the management of discharge of wastewater into watercourses and intensify the building of wastewater collection and treatment systems in urban centers and concentrated residential areas.

- To strictly control socio-economic development master plans and projects that exert negative impacts on area and quality of forests, particularly natural forests and protection forests; to closely manage and supervise projects requiring forest repurposing, particularly projects on hydropower development, hydraulic work, mineral exploitation, construction of industrial parks, and provision of tourism services, etc.

- To focus on developing, protecting and improving the quality of watershed protection forests, ensuring a stable forest coverage rate in accordance with set targets; to accelerate the greenization of wasteland and barren hills and areas affected by desertification; to protect and sustainably develop aquatic living resources and important wetland ecosystems.

- To invest resources for the restoration of rivers and watercourses already and currently in danger of degradation, depletion or pollution.

- To step up the establishment and management of watercourse protection corridors, management of riverbeds, riverbanks and lakes under regulations; to assess watercourses’ capacity to receive wastewater and load capacity in river basins, with priority given to river sections passing through urban areas, industrial parks and concentrated residential areas with high pollution risks.

- To raise the capacity to adapt to climate change and other water-related risks: To prioritize investment in technical infrastructure facilities to support disaster prevention and control in combination with the restoration of riparian spaces and conservation of natural landscapes and environment; to build, consolidate and upgrade the flash flood and landslide prevention and control system and river and sea dikes; to review the population distribution and relocate population from areas prone to flood and erosion of banks and downstream areas of reservoirs.

Article 2. Organization of implementation

1. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall:

a/ Publicize the Master Plan after it is approved by the Prime Minister.

b/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries, ministerial-level agencies and localities in, organizing the implementation of the Master Plan according to their assigned state management functions; accelerate the formulation and implementation of the general master plan on river basins; intensify basic surveys of water resources so as to provide data to serve the formulation and adjustment of the Master Plan; inspect and supervise the implementation of the Master Plan; regularly evaluate the implementation of the Master Plan, and review and adjust the Master Plan under regulations.

c/ Assume the prime responsibility for reviewing and completing legal institutions and policies on water resources; intensify cooperation, management, monitoring and close supervision of international watercourses.

d/ Assume the prime responsibility for building and operating the information system and mathematical models to support the making of decisions on regulation and distribution of watercourses in large river basins under regulations; improve the quality of hydrometeorological and water resource forecasts and warnings.

dd/ Review and adjust 11 processes of inter-reservoir operation in large river basins toward real-time operation; study flood water storage, freshwater retention and water storage solutions to overcome drought, water shortage and saltwater intrusion.

e/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with ministries, ministerial-level agencies and localities in, surveying and searching for groundwater sources for supply of water for domestic use in areas frequently affected by saltwater intrusion, ethnic minority and border areas, islands, areas facing water scarcity and areas with extreme socio-economic difficulties.

g/ Control water exploitation and use, discharge of wastewater into watercourses in river basins in conformity with watercourse functions, water quality targets and minimum flow under regulations.

h/ Renovate and restore degraded, depleted and polluted watercourses; restore and protect areas and aquifers prone to water level reduction, pollution, and saltwater intrusion. From now to 2025, to study formulating schemes on pilot mobilization of social resources for restoration of Nhue, Day, Bac Hung Hai and Ngu Huyen Khe rivers, and then submit them to the Prime Minister for consideration and approval as a basis for implementation.

i/ Coordinate with ministries, ministerial-level agencies and localities in cooperating and sharing information and data on water resources, water exploitation and use in transnational rivers with watercourse States.

k/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries, ministerial-level agencies and localities in, promptly summing up and reporting on, and proposing the Prime Minister to direct or decide on adjustment so as to remove, obstacles and irrationality (if any) in the implementation of the Master Plan.

2. Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall:

a/ Review or adjust, or propose competent authorities to adjust and supplement, hydraulic work master plans and flood prevention and control master plans for river routes with dikes, dike master plans and other specialized technical master plans involving water exploitation and use in conformity with the Master Plan.

b/ Direct, urge and organize the implementation of solutions to ensure safety and raise the water storage capacity according to designs of irrigation reservoirs; protect, develop and restore watershed protection forests in river basins; formulate and adjust the operation process of irrigation reservoirs and other hydraulic structures according to its competence, thereby ensuring the integrated and multi-purpose use of watercourses and adherence to principles of regulation and distribution of water resources in accordance with law.

c/ Research and apply technologies in the management and operation of hydraulic structures and advanced irrigation technology for economical and efficient water use.

d/ Promulgate according to its competence regulations on management of chemical use in agricultural production and aquaculture activities which cause watercourse pollution.

dd/ Direct entities exploiting and using water in river basins under its management to implement plans on regulation, distribution and protection of watercourses under regulations.

3. The Ministry of Construction shall review, adjust and supplement the master plan on urban water supply and drainage in conformity with the functions and capacity of watercourses in river basins; direct the formulation and implementation of economical and efficient water use solutions, thereby minimizing water loss in urban water supply systems.

4. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall direct organizations and individuals in, within the ambit of their competence, formulating, reviewing and adjusting operation processes of hydropower reservoirs, ensuring the integrated and multi-purpose use of watercourses and adherence to the principles of regulation and distribution of water resources and implementation of plans on regulation, distribution and protection of watercourses in accordance with law.

5. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall, based on medium-term public investment plans, assume the prime responsibility for summarizing and submitting medium-term and annual public investment plans to competent authorities for assignment thereof in order to implement programs and projects approved by competent authorities in accordance with the law on public investment.

6. The Ministry of Finance shall, based on the state budget’s fund-balancing capacity, assume the prime responsibility for summarizing and submitting to competent authorities for approval recurrent expenditures for implementation of the Master Plan in accordance with the law on the state budget.

7. Other related ministries and sectors shall, within the ambit of their functions, tasks and powers, coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and related provincial-level People’s Committees in regulating, distributing, exploiting, using and protecting water resources, and preventing and controlling water-caused harms.

8. Provincial-level People’s Committees shall:

a/ Direct organizations and individuals in formulating, reviewing and adjusting operation processes of irrigation and hydropower reservoirs in their localities, ensuring the integrated and multi-purpose use of watercourses and adherence to the principles of regulation and distribution of water resources and implementation of plans on regulation, distribution and protection of watercourses in accordance with law.

b/ Direct provincial-level Departments of Natural Resources and Environment to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related provincial-level departments and sectors in, evaluating intra-provincial watercourses’ capacity to receive wastewater and load capacity, zoning areas where groundwater exploitation is restricted, and establishing watercourse protection corridors under regulations.

Article 3. Implementation provisions

This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

Article 4. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall implement this Decision.-

For the Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
VU DUC DAM

* The appendices to this Decision are not translated.