The theme for World Water Day 2018 (March 22) is 'Nature for Water'. Hoang Anh Hao, Chief of Meteorological & Hydrological Office, Khanh Hoa Department of Natural Recourses & Environment says the theme for World Water Day 2018 reflects targets to raise public awareness of nature-based solutions to the water challenges and climate change we are facing...
The theme for World Water Day 2018 (March 22) is ‘Nature for Water’. Hoang Anh Hao, Chief of Meteorological & Hydrological Office, Khanh Hoa Department of Natural Recourses & Environment says the theme for World Water Day 2018 reflects targets to raise public awareness of nature-based solutions to the water challenges and climate change we are facing.
The reasons are many for the declining trend in water resources availability including population growth leading the increase in water demand for daily use and production; effluent drained into the waters, deforestation, unsuitable farming; outdated infrastructures; water use inefficiency and waste.
In many water supply systems in cities, the average water leakage and loss reach 40–50%; the designed water supply capacity of water conservancy systems is declining. Besides, some constructions have caused salt water intrusion in lower river basins. In addition, economic development has put much pressure on natural resources as well as led to conflicts in the exploitation and use of water resources. Therefore, efficient measures to save and reuse water are required to ensure sustainable balance between water resources and the nature.
Concerning challenges and measures to protect water resources in Khanh Hoa, Hoang Anh Hao says water resource exploited and used in daily activities, agricultural protection and socio-economic activities is from surface and underground water. Surface water mainly comes from rivers and streams and some 27 reservoirs in Khanh Hoa. Underground water is mainly taken from aquifer in Quaternary and Holocene sediments. The water in Khanh Hoa is vulnerable to exhaustion and contamination.
In recent years, due to climate change, erratic fluctuations in rainfall, droughts, salinity intrusion, and water shortages have tended to increase, causing great impacts on human life and sustainable socio-economic development. Prolonged droughts have occurred in many parts of the country and in the province. Water scarcity has been reported in Van Ninh, Ninh Hoa, Cam Lam, Cam Ranh, etc.
To protect water resources in Khanh Hoa, it is vital to call for the concern and joint effort of the government at all levels, all agencies, organizations, enterprises and individuals to reasonably manage and exploit the natural resources and protect the environmental sustainability; cultivate and protect forests; preserve surface and underground water, contributing to socio-economic development and living standard improvement.
Khanh Hoa has also proposed measures to protect water resources such as solidifying canals, upgrading irrigation works and ensuring reservoir safety; programs and projects on water supply and environmental sanitation. At present, 94% of the population in the province has had access to hygienic water, towards meeting the clean water standards regulated by the Ministry of Health.
Phu Lam
Translated by N.T
