HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City wants to cooperate with and receive investment from French enterprises in water drainage and wastewater and waste treatment in the southern hub, said Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Van Khoa.

At a working session with French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Vincent Floréani, and representatives from French enterprises on November 9, Khoa shared that while many people in the suburbs have yet to gain access to clean water, the city’s water loss rate hit 26 percent.

Meanwhile, a huge amount of garbage released to the environment every day is currently buried in soil, which can not ensure environmental sanitation.

According to Khoa, Ho Chi Minh City is striving to reduce the water loss rate to below 10 percent by 2020 and expand technology application in waste treatment to produce electricity.

Therefore, the city is calling for investments in these fields and pledges to create favourable conditions for foreign investors, including those from France, to run business and investment effectively, he added.

Vincent Floréani said that French enterprises highly appreciate the city’s business and investment climate as well as cooperation potential in the water and environmental sanitation fields.

With their experience, French enterprises want to cooperate with the city in developing the water drainage system, treating wastewater and preventing floods, he stated.

They can help the city build non-chemical water purification systems and install clean water pipes so as to decrease the water loss rate to 6 percent, he pledged.-VNA