Only 37 percent of Hanoi’s suburban residents have access to clean water in 2015, lagging behind the city’s 60 percent target due to funding shortages and public awareness about safe water use.

Municipal authorities have asked relevant agencies and businesses to improve communication dissemination on clean water use and environmental hygiene as well as focus on water supply facilities under construction.

Private enterprises are being encouraged to invest in and manage safe water facilities with pledges that they will receive favourable conditions from authorities.

Fresh water supply projects supported by the municipal budget have been implemented in Thanh Oai, Thuong Tin, Me Linh, Ung Hoa, Phu Xuyen and My Duc Districts. The municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the project management board are building land clearance plans for the projects as well as making careful preparations to implement the projects immediately after the capital is arranged.

To date, the city’s outskirts house 106 clean water supply facilities in 16 districts. About 78 water stations, with total capacities from 300-2,000 cubic metres per day, are able to provide water for 286,000 people. Another 28 stations are not operational due to incomplete construction.

To ensure safe water for residents, authorities have analysed water samples in 73 stations and 2,400 samples from rural households.-VNA