Binh Duong has 1.3 million inhabitants and is one of the agricultural provinces in southern part of Vietnam which is becoming industrialized. There are 23 industrial parks approved to invest by the Government Water demand and urban immigration have been increasing rapidly. The urban centres are: Thu Dau Mot, 30km from Ho Chi Minh City, and 6 districts: Thuan An, Di An, Phu Giao, Dau Thieng, Ben Cat, and Tan Uyen.
BIWASE has 4 water supply enterprises with more than one treatment plant in each enterprise and 3 other small water treatment plants supplying drinking water to residential areas and industrial parks. The total production capacity is 147,800m3/day, but the current total production is approx. only 73,000m3/day, equivalent to 45% capacity usage. Ground water extraction occurs using deep wells with diameter of 300mm and an average depth of 120m. Most wells are located within the treatment plant areas.
BIWASE has around 20270 connections the vast majority being domestic connections. Its NRW performance which it has been addressing over a number of years is around 14% and the distribution system is broken up into manageable zones. Service levels are good and collection ratios are generally 99% plus. In late 2007, PPWSA visited BIWASE to conclude a diagnostic report and pointed out opportunities for twinng support lay in NRW, Water Safety, applying Standard Operating Procedures and building staff skills.
BIWASE subsequently visited PPWSA in the first quarter of 2008 and proceeded to implement a number of observed better practices.
This twinning is facilitated by Asian Development Bank.
