This morning, October 8, 2024, the Vietnam Water Supply and Sewerage Association (VWSA) held a press conference to announce that Vietnam Water Week 2024 (VWW 2024) will take place in Hanoi from November 6 to 8 this year.

VWW is the most important and annual highlight event of the Water Supply and Sewerage sector in Vietnam. Following the success of Vietnam Water Week 2023 in Binh Duong, this year VWW returns to the capital, Hanoi.

Accordingly, 'Developing Vietnam's Water Sector - Security, Safety, Efficiency, and Integration' will be the main theme of this year’s event. This theme is especially meaningful as the warming of the Earth's atmosphere has made water-related issues more 'unpredictable and abnormal.'

The event will include four scientific seminars: Draft Law on Water Supply and Sewerage; Sustainable management and operation of water supply and sewerage systems in response to climate change; Smart, efficient corporate governance in the Water Sector with increased resilience; and Gender Equality in the Water Sector. Notably, this year features a seminar on Gender Equality in the Water Sector, a new and important aspect of personnel management and recruitment in water enterprises. For the first time, a gender equality assessment survey has been implemented in Vietnam's Water Supply and Sewerage sector. This program is coordinated and supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). It is hoped that after the seminar, units, organizations, and enterprises will develop a Gender Equality Strategy for the 2025-2030 period to meet international standards.

In parallel with the seminars is an international exhibition covering 4,000m², featuring 200 booths from 150 organizations and businesses from over 10 countries and territories: Austria, India, Germany, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, Spain, China, France, Thailand, and others. The exhibition will showcase products and equipment related to the water sector, water technologies, and advanced, modern water resource and environmental management solutions.

Ensuring water security and safety

Picture: Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Diep, Chairman of the Vietnam Water Supply and Sewerage Association, responded to the press at the press conference.

Sharing with the press, VWSA Chairman Nguyen Ngoc Diep said that Vietnam is currently facing the unpredictable changes of climate change, along with rapid urbanization, which has severely impacted water security and safety. Therefore, water security and safety were chosen as the theme of VWW 2024.

One of the simplest solutions that people can use is filtration devices that help remove impurities from water sources to ensure clean water quality. Broadly speaking, the application of science and technology in water treatment processes will be the key to addressing these challenges.

Regarding drainage, Mr. Điệp shared: 'Currently, the rapid pace of urbanization has created significant pressure on the sector's infrastructure. Meanwhile, investment in Vietnam's water sector has not yet been given adequate attention. For example, the low-lying foundation of inner Hanoi, established hundreds of years ago, creates difficulties in repair and renovation work. Recent major storms like super typhoon YAGI have clearly exposed the limitations that need to be addressed.

In the face of these challenges, a specific strategy for water supply and drainage needs to be developed for the 2025-2030 period. The Ministry of Construction and other state management agencies have advised the government in issuing strategies, particularly in drafting the Law on Water Supply and Sewerage. During the drafting process, issues such as attracting investment capital and planning work, among others, require further discussion and consultation.