From now until 2015, Ho Chi Minh City plans to deploy seven projects worth a total USD240 million to upgrade and expand its water supply network, cut water loss, and treat sludge at water factories.

Saigon Water Supply Corporation, or Sawaco, is currently providing approximately 1.6 million cubic metres of water for 85 percent of the city’s population every day via its water supply pipelines which stretch a total 4,500km.

However, the quantity of water loss remains high, at up to 38 percent because of outdated pipelines and water supply system which is not in sync with the source and the network.

Head of Sawaco’s department for development cooperation Ha Thanh Trung said at a conference on human resources development for the water industry on Tuesday that in the next five years, Sawaco would seek to reduce water loss by one to two percentage points each year.

Besides, Sawaco would also team up with the consortium Manila – Ree – Mitsubishi to survey and carry out the method for reducing water loss for four major areas encompassing 14 districts of the city.

Sawaco is also doing research on optimal solutions to exploit water resources from Dau Tieng and Tri An lakes in order to modify as well as replace current water supply sources from the Saigon and Dong Nai rivers which are being threatened by pollution.

Sawaco sets the target to raise its water supply capacity to 3.4 million cubic metres a day in 2025 to bring tap water to all residents in the city.