Danish Embassy: Vietnam Facing Water Shortage

According to the Danish Embassy in Vietnam, around 60% of Vietnamese people depend on underground water resources. Due to overexploitation, the underground water level is decreasing and threatening the stability of water resources.
   An overview research of water conducted by the Vietnamese government and international donors recently shows that water may be the major factor that hinders Vietnam’s further social and economic development.
   This issue has impacts on around 8.5 million Vietnamese urban people and 21 million rural residents who don’t have access to safe water yet. For those who have safe water, the current standards of water supply service are low compared to the international level.
   During the dry season, many big rivers face abnormally low water levels and the threat of water shortage will rise in the future.
   Water quality is downgrading quickly because Vietnam’s geographical position is at the bottom of river systems and pollution from other countries pollutes the river systems in Vietnam.
   According to the overview, Vietnam is one of countries that are vulnerable to natural calamities, especially water-associated catastrophes. The matter becomes more serious as around 50% of Vietnam’s population lives on the coast. Meanwhile, over 80% of the population directly confronts impacts of natural calamities.
   Vietnam is also among the most vulnerable to climate change.