Vietnam's wastewater system 'still insufficient'

A Vietnamese government minister has claimed that wastewater treatment in Vietnam is insufficient, breeding diseases in the country that are avoidable.

Minister of construction Nguyen Hong Quan said that despite issuing warnings and guidance as to the safe and efficient treatment of wastewater, policies are very seldom upheld by the government.

He was addressing attendees at a recent two-day forum on sustainable urban growth, held in collaboration with Germany, reported the Vietnam News Agency.

Parliamentarian state secretary of the German federal Ministry for economic and cooperation and development Karin Kortmann said: "Vietnam still has a long way to reach its target."

She added that the country faces a tough challenge to implement its plans to introduce adequate wastewater treatment foundations in all of its major cities.

Last October, it was alleged that a Taiwanese firm, Vedan Vietnam, has been pouring wastewater into a river in Dong Nai province using an illegal drainage system, reported thanhnienews.com.