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Viet Nam - Country Water Profiles

Framework Law

The main law applicable to water resources management, which covers all of the following areas: administration; management, conservation and use of freshwater resources; water rights; waterworks; water supply
Law No. 17/2012/QH13 on Water Resources.
Date of text: 02 July 2012

Constitutional provisions

Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Date of text: 28 November 2013

Right to water: No provisions regarding the right to water.

Natural resources: Article 53: The land, water resources, mineral resources, wealth lying underground or coming from the sea and the air, other natural resources, and property invested and managed by the State are public properties, coming under ownership by the entire people represented and uniformly managed by the State. Article 63: 1. The State shall adopt environmental protection policies; manage and use natural resources in an efficient and sustainable manner; conserve nature and biodiversity; and take the initiative in preventing and controlling natural disasters and responding to climate change.

Agriculture

Water used for irrigation, forestry and aquaculture
Circular No. 88/2003/TT-BTC guiding the implementation of the Prime Minister's Decision No. 182/2003/QD-TTg on the issuance of Goverment Bonds for investment in some important traffic and irrigation works in the country.
Date of text: 16 September 2003
Decree No. 135/2005/ND-CP on contractual assignment of agricultural land, production forest land and land with water surface for aquaculture in state-run agricultural farms and forestry farms.
Date of text: 08 November 2005
Resolution No. 63/NQ-CP on national food security.
Date of text: 23 December 2009

Water Supply and Sanitation

Provision of water services by public utilities or commercial organizations; water supply for domestic, industrial or other purposes; right to safe and clean drinking water and basic sanitation; quality of piped water; sewerage
Order No. 12/2007/L-CTN on the promulgation of the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases.
Date of text: 05 December 2007
Decision No. 1636/QD-TTg approving the adjusted master plan on socio-economic development of Lao Cai province through 2020, with a vision toward 2030.
Date of text: 22 September 2015
Decision No. 439/QD-TTg approving the Scheme on upgrading and construction of fresh-water reservoirs and construction of irrigation systems on populous islands.
Date of text: 03 April 2009

Governance

The political, social, economic and administrative systems that govern water management and conservation; good practices; good governance; decentralization; water user’s associations
Decision No. 25/1999/QD-BNN-TCCB on the establishment of the Gia Lai Water Resources and Agro-Forestry Research Centre under the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) Agro-Forestry Science and Technique Institute.
Date of text: 01 February 1999
Decision No. 114/QD-TTg defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of Vietnam National Mekong Committee.
Date of text: 15 January 2010
Decision No. 24/1999/QD-BNN-TCCB defining the tasks and organizational structure of the Water Resources Science Institute.
Date of text: 01 February 1999

Infrastructure

Waterworks; water supply systems; dams; hydropower systems; irrigation systems
Order No. 24/2006/L-CTN on the Promulgation of the Law on Dikes.
Date of text: 12 December 2006
Circular No. 88/2003/TT-BTC guiding the implementation of the Prime Minister's Decision No. 182/2003/QD-TTg on the issuance of Goverment Bonds for investment in some important traffic and irrigation works in the country.
Date of text: 16 September 2003
Circular No. 04/2015/TT-BXD guiding a number of articles of the Government's Decree No. 80/2014/ND-CP of 6 August 2014, on water drainage and wastewater treatment.
Date of text: 03 April 2015

Water Resources Management and Water Rights

Ownership and control of water resources; abstraction and diversion of water; allocation and quotas; riparian rights; priority of rights; free water use
Order No. 13/2012/L-CTN on the promulgation of the Law on Handling of Administrative Violations (No. 15/2012/QH13).
Date of text: 02 July 2012
Decision No. 179998/QD-BTC of the Minister of Finance to issue the Regulation on the land, water surface and sea surface rents applicable to foreign investment forms in Vietnam.
Date of text: 24 February 1998
Circular No. 120/2005/TT-BTC Guiding the Implementation of the Governments Decree No. 142/2005/ND-CP of 14 November 2005 on Collection of Land Rents and Water Surface Rents.
Date of text: 30 December 2005

Water and Environment

Water in environmentally-sensitive areas; ‘water demand’ by ecosystems; protection forests; water conservation zones; environmental impact assessment
Law No. 33/2013/QH13 on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.
Date of text: 19 June 2013
Law on Forest Protection and Development.
Date of text: 14 December 2004
Law on Environmental Protection No. 55/2014/QH13.
Date of text: 23 June 2014

Water Quality and Pollution Control

Control of pollution and quality of freshwater bodies and groundwater; agricultural point and non-point sources of pollution; water quality standards
Decision No. 12/2004/L-CTN promulgating Law No. 23/2004/QH11 on inland waterway navigation.
Date of original text: 15 June 2004 (2004)
Law No. 48/2014/QH13 Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Inland Waterway Navigation.
Date of text: 17 June 2014
Petroleum Law.
Date of text: 06 July 1993

Groundwater

Freshwater resources located below the surface of the earth; aquifers; groundwater abstraction; well-sinking; boreholes; hydrogeology
Order No. 22/2009/L-CTN on the promulgation of the Law on Royalties.
Date of text: 04 December 2009
Decision No. 05/2003/QD-BTNMT promulgating the regulation on licensing the underground water exploration, exploitation and drilling practice.
Date of text: 04 September 2003
Decree No. 149/2004/ND-CP on the issuing of permits for water resource exploration, exploitation and use, or for discharge of wastewater into water sources.
Date of text: 27 July 2004

Disaster Resilience

Water-related hazards; flood; drought; water shortage; adaptation to climate change; early warning system/emergency intervention system
Law No. 33/2013/QH13 on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.
Date of text: 19 June 2013
Circular No. 05/2003/TT-BKH guiding the contents, order of elaboration, evaluation and management of branch development planning and territorial socio-economic development overall planning projects.
Date of text: 22 July 2003
Directive No. 17/2000/CT-TTg on coping with flooding in the Mekong River Delta.
Date of text: 20 September 2000

Transboundary Waters

Transboundary effects; international basin institutions; international agreements; transboundary coordination; transboundary aquifers
Agreement on the cooperation for the sustainable development of the Mekong River Basin.
Date of text: 05 April 1995

Policies

Five-Year Socio-Economic Development Plan 2016 - 2020.
Date of text: 12 April 2016
Decision No. 1636/QD-TTg approving the adjusted master plan on socio-economic development of Lao Cai province through 2020, with a vision toward 2030.
Date of text: 22 September 2015
Decision No. 872/2015/QD-TTg approving the adjusted master plan on socio-economic development of Thanh Hoa province through 2020, with orientations toward 2030.
Date of text: 17 June 2015
Decision No. 734/QD-TTg approving the adjusted master plan on socio-economic development of Dong Nai province through 2020, with a vision toward 2025.
Date of text: 27 May 2015
Decision No. 269/QD-TTg approving the master plan on socio-economic development of Bac Giang province through 2020, with a vision toward 2030.
Date of text: 02 March 2015
Decision No. 260/QD-TTg the master plan on socio-economic development of Thai Nguyen province through 2020, with a vision toward 2030.
Date of text: 27 February 2015
Decision No. 45IQD-TTg approving the master plan on biodiversity conservation in the whole country through 2020, with orientations toward 2030.
Date of text: 08 January 2014
Decision No. 1959/QD-TTg approving the master plan on socio-economic development of Son La province through 2020.
Date of text: 29 October 2013
Decision No. 1942/QD-TTg approving the master plan on socio-economic development of Dak Nong province through 2020.
Date of text: 22 October 2013
Decision No. 1831/QD-TTg approving the master plan on socio-economic development of Bac Ninh province through 2020, with orientations toward 2030.
Date of text: 09 October 2013
Decision No. 1533/QD-TTg approving the master plan on socio-economic development of Can Tho city through 2020, with a vision toward 2030.
Date of text: 30 August 2013
Decision No. 1114/QD-TTg approving the master plan on socio-economic development of the Central Vietnam’s northern and coastal region through 2020.
Date of text: 09 July 2013
Decision No. 1064/QD-TTg approving the master plan on socio-economic development in the northern midland and mountainous region through 2020.
Date of text: 08 July 2013
Decision No. 795/QD-TTg approving a master plan on socio-economic development in the Red River delta through 2020.
Date of text: 23 May 2013
Decision No. 725/QD-TTg approving Hanoi Capital's water drainage master plan through 2030 with a vision toward 2050.
Date of text: 10 May 2013
Decision No. 1786/QD-TTg approving the master plan on socio-economic development of Ha Tinh province through 2020, with a vision to 2050.
Date of text: 27 November 2012
Decision No. 1226/QD-TTg approving the master plan on socio-economic development of Ha Nam province through 2020.
Date of text: 22 July 2011
Decision No. 29/2007/QD-BCN approving the planning on industrial development in the Central Viet Nam key economic region up to 2015, with the 2020 vision taken into consideration.
Date of text: 11 July 2007
Decision No. 271/2006/QD-TTg approving the adjusted and supplemented master plan on socio-economic development of Hai Phong City up to 2020.
Date of text: 27 November 2006
Decision No. 230/2006/QD-TTg approving the master plan on socio-economic development in Dien Bien province in the 2006-2020 period.
Date of text: 13 October 2006
Five Year Socio-Economic Development Plan 2006-2010.
Date of text: 01 July 2006

Main basins

Dong Nai
Nhue-Day
Saigon/Song Nha Be
Si Kiang
Beilun
Ca/Sông-Koi
Hsi/Bei Jiang
Ma
Song Vam Co Dong
Red (Song Hong) River (Asia)
Mekong