Decision 1978/QD-TTg 2021 National Strategy for rural water supply and sanitation by 2030, with a vision towards 2045

DECISION

Approving the National Strategy for rural water supply and sanitation by 2030, with a vision towards 2045

________

THE PRIME MINISTER

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

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

At the proposal of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,

HEREBY DECIDES:

Article 1. To approve the National Strategy for rural water supply and sanitation by 2030, with a vision towards 2045, consisting of the following principal contents:

I. PERSPECTIVES

1. Safe rural water supply and sanitation is an important task so as to protect the health, ensure social security, and contribute to improving the quality of life for rural people, thus narrowing the gap between rural and urban areas while maintaining water security and sustainable socio-economic development.

2. The rural water supply and sanitation must follow the motto “the State and the people work together” and “people know, people discuss, people do, people monitor, people are beneficiaries”. The socialization of rural clean water supply and sanitation shall be promoted, and all resources shall be attracted to invest in the construction, management and operation of works in an efficient and sustainable manner.

3. To develop rural clean water supply and sanitation infrastructure suitable to the culture, customs, and specific conditions of each region, in line with the infrastructure systems of other sectors and fields, thus ensuring the safety and resilience against the impacts of natural disasters and climate change.

II. OBJECTIVES

1. Overall objectives

- To ensure that rural people have the right to access and use clean water supply services in a fair, convenient and safe manner as well as at a reasonable cost; to ensure domestic and public hygiene, environmental sanitation, disease prevention and control.

- To protect the health and prevent the diseases related to water and sanitation, improve the quality of life, ensure social security for rural people, narrow the gap between rural and urban areas, thus contributing to building new-style rural areas.

2. Specific objectives

a) By 2030:

- 65% of the rural population has access to clean water of standard quality with at least 60 liters/person/day.

- 100% of rural households, schools, health stations have hygienic latrines that meet standards and regulations; 100% of rural people regularly practice personal hygiene.

- To strive that 25% of concentrated rural residential areas have domestic wastewater collection systems, 15% of domestic wastewater is treated; 75% of livestock households and farms have livestock waste treated.

b) By 2045: To strive that 100% of rural people use safe and sustainable clean water and sanitation; 50% of concentrated rural residential areas have domestic wastewater collection systems, 30% of domestic wastewater is treated; 100% of livestock households and farms have livestock waste treated.

III. SOLUTIONS

1. Regarding perfecting institutions and policies

- To review and perfect the system of legal documents, regulations, standards, economic and technical norms on rural clean water and sanitation (to develop the Law on Water Supply; amend Decree No. 117/2007/ND-CP on clean water production, supply and consumption; work out and perfect regulations on rural clean water management; revise national technical regulations on latrines - hygiene conditions; etc.).

- To work out policies to support the investment in, as well as the post-investment management and operation of, works in areas with scarcity and difficulty to find water resources, remote and mountainous areas, ethnic minority areas, non-estuarine coastal areas, border areas, and islands; to support poor households, policy beneficiary households, and those living in areas with difficult and extreme socio-economic conditions to use clean water, access appropriate sanitation services and enjoy social security.

- To review, develop, amend, revise mechanisms and policies to promote socialization and attract enterprises to invest in rural clean water supply and sanitation, in which: to study suitable credit mechanisms and policies to support the investment in construction, renovation and repair of rural clean water and environmental sanitation works; to work out a roadmap for correctly and sufficiently calculating rural clean water prices so as to attract investment from enterprises, encourage people to use clean water economically, and at the same time, to have appropriate policies to create conditions for poor households to access clean water at a reasonable cost; to publicize and transparently announce the contributions and capital mobilized from water users.

- To perfect the coordination mechanisms among sectors and local authorities in planning, investment, management and operation of rural clean water supply and sanitation works.

- To continue perfecting the system of State management agencies and public service providers in the direction of streamlining their apparatus and ensuring the actual effectiveness and efficiency in managing and supporting State management activities in service of providing social security.

2. Regarding promoting information, education, and communication

- To carry out education and communication activities to popularize laws, mechanisms and policies; alter the behaviors and customs; use water economically and efficiently; protect water sources and water supply works; ensure household and personal hygiene; guide people to actively accumulate and store water for use in the dry seasons, during drought, saltwater intrusion, and flooding.

- To diversify communication forms, combine traditional methods with information technology applications with attention paid to remote, mountainous, ethnic minority areas, non-estuarine coastal areas, and border areas, islands.

- To share information related to the establishment and management of water source protection corridors and sanitary protection zones in areas where domestic water is taken; to publicize information about domestic water quality, warn of abnormal water quality phenomena of local domestic water supplies.

- To encourage social organizations, businesses, individuals and communities to actively participate in raising awareness of environmental and water source protection.

3. Regarding supplying clean water for rural areas

a) Concentrated clean water supply

- To invest in the construction of concentrated clean water supply works in line with the exploitation, management, and operation under the approved master plans so as to ensure water security and climate change adaptation. To repair and upgrade clean water supply works to ensure the operational efficiency in line with the monitoring, management and operation of works.

- To invest in the construction of large-scale, synchronous, inter-commune and inter-district clean water supply works connected to the urban water supply systems in suitable places so as to ensure the operational efficiency and resilience of the works; to prioritize the use the system of irrigation works, reservoirs and dams as domestic water supplies.

- The State shall give priority to investment in domestic water supply works in areas with scarcity and difficulty to find water sources, areas frequently affected by drought, saltwater intrusion, and water source pollution; support investment in construction of concentrated clean water supply works for remote and mountainous areas, ethnic minority areas, non-estuarine coastal areas, border areas and islands.

b) Household-scale water supply

To implement household-scale water supply solutions for areas facing difficulties in investing in concentrated water supply works or such investment being inefficient, areas where there is no access to concentrated water supply, especially those with scarcity and difficulty to find water sources, remote areas, mountainous areas, ethnic minority areas, border areas and islands, in which:

- To invest in building rainwater storage tanks and other forms of water storage suitable to specific areas and regions, meeting daily-life water needs.

- To replicate and apply the model of safe household water collection, treatment, and storage; to pilot the kiosks and “water ATMs” directly supplying drinking water to residential clusters and schools in case of emergency due to the impacts of natural disasters and epidemics.

- To guide the inspection and monitoring of water quality at household scale; use safe materials to collect, treat and store water in households.

c) Safe water supply and climate change adaptation

- To develop guidelines and implement safe water supply plans so as to ensure disaster response and climate change adaptation; to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of safe water supply plans.

- To share water sources and information related to water sources among sectors and localities in service of water supply, management and protection.

- To improve water quality testing capacity for water supply units, invest in building modern laboratories and testing equipment to serve internal and external testing of water quality; ability to identify and handle incidents that cause interruption or stagnation of water supply.

- To set up a system to control and warn the quality and reserve of domestic water sources, control domestic water supply pollution due to daily-life activities, agricultural production, and industrial activities, and have plans to find alternative water sources in case of water pollution incidents.

- To develop plans to proactively respond to climate change and overcome the consequences of water shortage due to natural disasters, drought, saltwater intrusion, flooding, inundation, and waterlogging; to ensure at least enough domestic water supply in case of natural disasters and epidemics.

d) Operation and management

- To manage and operate clean water supply works as well as domestic wastewater collection and treatment works following some models suitable for each type and region, aiming to professionalize the operation, management, maintenance of rural water supply works, thus ensuring that they operate stably, safely, effectively, sustainably while improving the quality of the services.

- To review existing works which are inoperable and inefficient so as to work out plans to handle concentrated rural water supply infrastructure assets in accordance with the regulations.

- To develop and implement a roadmap for correct and adequate calculation of rural water prices; to carry out cross-compensation of costs incurred in the management and operation of water supply works; to provide financial and technical support for post-investment management and operation of works in areas with scarcity or difficulty to find water sources, remote areas, mountainous areas, ethnic minority areas, and non-estuarine coastal areas, border areas and islands.

- To mobilize the participation of the community in the management, operation and protection of water supply works, domestic wastewater collection and treatment works under the motto “people know, people discuss, people do, people monitor, people are beneficiaries” with professional support and technical guidance from specialized units.

4. Regarding rural sanitation

a) Household and public sanitation

- To deploy and replicate community movements with the aims of avoiding indiscriminate excreta disposal, towards changing people’s awareness and habits of sanitation, increasing the percentage of households building and using hygienic latrines, contributing to achieving the goal of “Vietnam without indiscriminate excreta disposal” by 2025.

- To prescribe “the proportion of rural households, schools, health stations that build, manage and use hygienic latrines meeting standards and regulations” as one of the socio-economic development indicators at the provincial, district and communal levels.

- To apply and popularize technological solutions to build simple hygienic latrines suitable to local customs and people’s affordability; to provide technical assistance in construction, management and use of household and public sanitation works, ensuring standards and regulations; to promote access to hygiene and safety services in line with behavior change communication and market development.

b) Collection and treatment of domestic wastewater

- To develop a roadmap for daily-life wastewater collection and treatment in concentrated residential areas ịn accordance with the master plans and synchronization with rural infrastructure; to prescribe the rate of collection and concentrated treatment of rural domestic wastewater as one of the socio-economic development indicators at the provincial, district and communal levels.

- To pilot the application of low-cost wastewater collection and treatment technology models that limit the use of chemicals, use renewable energy, generate little secondary waste, and are suitable to the characteristics and size of concentrated rural residential areas.

- To call upon resources, especially non-budget resources, to invest in construction, management and operation of wastewater collection and treatment systems through the application of appropriate investment incentive policies in terms of land use, taxes, fees, charges, administrative procedures, investment and post-investment funds.

c) Treatment of livestock waste

- To provide technical guidance and support and encourage the application of environmentally friendly livestock waste treatment solutions in line with the development trend of circular agriculture.

- To manage livestock waste in accordance with technical regulations and standards, ensuring that odors, emissions, wastewater and solid waste generated from livestock establishments do not affect public health or pollute the environment. Livestock breeding households and owners of livestock farms shall be responsible for handling livestock waste in accordance with the regulations.

- To implement credit policies to support people to build hygienic barns and treat livestock waste.

5. Regarding science and technology

- To research and apply technologies and solutions for water supply and sanitation that are environmentally friendly and do not affect people’s health, with the priority given to simple technologies at an affordable price for the people.

- To research and apply new materials as well as make use of local materials in construction, ensuring the quality and meeting the technical, aesthetic and landscaping requirements.

- To apply information technology in monitoring water sources and water quality, to digitize and automate the management, operation and protection of works.

- To research and apply technologies to turn saltwater and brackish water into freshwater; to collect, treat and store qualified rainwater; to ensure the simple and effective operation of household water treatment technologies; to exploit and use renewable energy sources such as solar, tidal, and wind power… for production of clean water and treatment of domestic wastewater, livestock waste.

6. Regarding international cooperation

- To enhance information sharing, experience exchange, application and transfer of advanced technologies with other countries, international organizations, and experienced experts in the field of clean water supply and sanitation.

- To take advantage of support of resources, science, technologies, and equipment from other countries and international organizations in rural water supply and sanitation, especially programs and projects on rural water supply and sanitation for natural disaster response, climate change adaptation, green growth, and circular economy.

- To create conditions for domestic enterprises to enter into joint ventures with foreign enterprises in producing and supplying materials and equipment for clean water supply and sanitation, and to support the operation of management models suitable for domestic conditions.

7. Regarding mobilizing resources

- To prioritize resources from the State budget, ODA loans, foreign preferential loans, especially capital from national target programs: new-style rural area building, socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, sustainable poverty reduction and social security, and other programs and projects with targets on rural water supply and sanitation.

- To attract resources from all socio-economic sectors, to mobilize the participation and contributions of people in construction, investment, management and operation of water supply and rural environmental sanitation works, and supporting household-scale water supply.

- To continue providing investment loans in construction, renovation, repair and upgrading of concentrated water supply works, household-scale water supply and rural environmental sanitation works via the State’s investment credit policies and credit programs for rural water supply and sanitation, especially in areas frequently facing drought, water shortage, saltwater intrusion, and water pollution.

8. Regarding developing human resources

- To review and evaluate human resources, develop and implement human resource development programs, diversify training contents and forms with a focus on practicing and solving practical problems.

- To train and foster the expertise, improve professional capacity and skills for the employees in charge of managing and operating the works; to give priority to training managers and operators for community-managed works. To promote capacity building for the contingent of managers at the grassroots level in planning, managing, monitoring and evaluating water supply and sanitation activities.

9. Regarding monitoring and evaluation

- To update and implement the set of monitoring and evaluation indicators; to develop a mechanism to manage, exploit and share the database on clean water supply and rural sanitation in a reliable and efficient manner.

- To strengthen water quality monitoring so as to meet the standards; to evaluate implementation results of the safe water supply plans.

- To inspect, examine and handle violations that cause water pollution and the discharge of waste and wastewater in contravention of regulations; to mobilize the participation and supervision of the community and people in water supply and sanitation activities, especially in protecting water sources and the environment.

IV. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall

- Assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with concerned ministries, sectors and local authorities in implementing the Strategy; direct and implement programs, schemes and projects within the ambit of their respective State management functions and assigned competence to realize the objectives, tasks and solutions of the Strategy; monitor, urge, inspect, supervise, periodically review, summarize and evaluate results of the implementation of the Strategy; report possible ultra vires issues to the Prime Minister and propose him/her to consider and adjust the Strategy in case of necessity.

- Assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies and relevant agencies in studying, reviewing, updating, amending and supplementing the credit policies for rural clean water and sanitation so as to continue investing in construction, renovation and repair of rural clean water and environmental sanitation works.

- Organize statistical work, summarize information and build a database on State management of rural water supply and sanitation.

- Organize propaganda, dissemination and education of the law, promote information and communication activities to raise public awareness in the field of rural clean water supply.

- Guide, inspect, supervise and review the implementation of the safe rural water supply plans.

2. The Ministry of Construction shall

- Direct and implement the task of collecting and treating domestic wastewater in concentrated rural residential areas as well as other tasks and solutions within the ambit of their assigned State management functions to realize the objectives of the Strategy.

- Promulgate national regulations, technical standards, economic - technical norms on the construction of rural domestic wastewater collection and treatment works; guide the methods of pricing domestic wastewater collection and treatment services in concentrated rural residential areas.

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Health in promulgating regulations, standards, economic - technical norms on rural water supply and sanitation.

3. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall

- Monitor and manage the exploitation and use of water resources; and the observance of the law provisions on water resources; guide and inspect the establishment and management of water source protection corridors; monitor the sources of water pollution.

- Assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with functional agencies in inspecting and handling law violations related to the water source protection corridors, the discharge of waste causing water pollution, and the management, protection, exploitation and use of water resources.

4. The Ministry of Health shall

- Take responsibility for organizing, directing and implementing tasks of household and personal hygiene, water supply and sanitation in health stations as well as other tasks and solutions within the ambit of their assigned State management functions to realize the objectives of the Strategy.

- Promulgate quality requirements for clean water used for domestic purposes (applicable to concentrated clean water supply works and household-scale water supply works), technical regulations and standards on household hygienic latrines, public sanitation works, and personal sanitation practices.

- Inspect and supervise the satisfaction of quality standards for clean water used for domestic purposes nationwide; guide the local authorities to promulgate technical regulations on the quality of clean water used for domestic purposes in the localities.

- Organize information and communication drives to raise community awareness, change behaviors of household sanitation, personal hygiene, water supply and sanitation of health stations;

5. The Ministry of Education and Training shall organize, direct and implement the tasks of water supply and sanitation in schools as well as other tasks and solutions within the ambit of their assigned State management functions to realize the objectives of the Strategy.

6. Other relevant ministries, sectors and socio-political organizations, within the ambit of their assigned functions and tasks, shall take the initiative in formulating and implementing tasks and solutions to realize the objectives of the Strategy.

7. The People’s Committees of provinces and centrally run cities shall

- Direct the development, approval and implementation of specific tasks and solutions to realize the objectives of the Strategy within the localities under their respective jurisdictions and responsibilities; propose the provincial-level People’s Councils to allocate funds in accordance with regulations on State budget decentralization; at the same time, integrate the contents of the Strategy into local socio-economic development plans and master plans in association with the National Target Program on building new-style rural areas and other relevant programs and projects.

- Construct, repair and upgrade water supply and sanitation works in their respective localities in accordance with the State budget allocation and law provisions, ensuring the early realization of the objectives of the Strategy.

- Issue technical regulations on the quality of clean water used for domestic purposes in their respective localities (applicable to concentrated water supply works and household-scale water supply works).

- Develop and implement roadmaps for correct and adequate calculation of rural clean water prices; decide within the ambit of their competence the policies on the support of clean water prices in line with the ability of local budgets to cover them.

- Guide the management and use of rural water supply infrastructure assets in accordance with the current regulations, including specific regulations on sanctions of violations and responsibilities of authorities at all levels, sectors, project owners and managers, and operators of the works.

Article 2. This Decision takes effect from the date of signing for promulgation.

Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of Government-attached agencies, Chairpersons of People’s Committees of provinces and centrally run cities, and Heads of relevant agencies and units shall be responsible for implementing this Decision.