Supervision methods of extraction of groundwater in Vietnam

Supervision methods of extraction of groundwater in Vietnam (Internet image)

1. Rules for supervision of groundwater extraction in Vietnam

According to Article 3 of Circular 17/2021/TT-BTNMT, the rules for supervision of groundwater extraction include:

- Accuracy, truthfulness, objectiveness and convenience are ensured upon exploitation and use of information and data on extraction and use of water resources are ensured.

- Information and data are systematically organized, promptly and continuously updated and adequate to serve supervision of extraction and use of water resources.

- Uniformity in information and data is ensured in terms of space and time; between central government and local governments and in each river basin.

- Uniformity between supervision requirements and monitoring activities carried out by the establishments issued with the license to extract/use water resources is ensured.

- Supervision parameters are directly monitored and measured or indirectly calculated using other measuring parameters but the accuracy and truthfulness are ensured.

2. Supervision methods of extraction of groundwater in Vietnam

The Supervision methods of extraction of groundwater specified in Clause 2, Article 13 of Circular 17/2021/TT-BTNMT are as follows:

- Regarding a work with a capacity of at least 3,000 m3 per 24 hours: carry out automatic and online supervision of the parameters specified in (i), (ii) and (iv), and periodic supervision of the parameter specified in Point c Clause 1 of this Article;

- Regarding a work with a capacity of from 1,000 m3 to less than 3,000 m3 per 24 hours: carry out automatic and online supervision of the parameters specified in (i), (ii), and periodic supervision of the parameters specified in (iii);

- Regarding a work with a capacity of from 200 m3 to less than 1,000 m3 per 24 hours: carry out automatic and online supervision of the parameters specified in (i), and periodic supervision of the parameters specified in (ii), (iii);

- Regarding a work with a capacity of more than 10 m3 to less than 200 m3 per 24 hours: carry out periodic supervision of the parameters specified in (i), (ii) and (iii).

3. Supervision parameters of extraction of groundwater in Vietnam

Specifically, in Clause 1, Article 13 of Circular 17/2021/TT-BTNMT, the supervision parameters are as follows:

(i) Capacity of each drilled well, dug well, dug hole, corridor, roadway, vein and cave of the work;

(ii) Water level in the production wells, regarding drilled wells and dug wells;

(iii) Quality of water during extraction (if any);

(iv) Regarding a work with a capacity of at least 3,000 m3 per 24 hours, in addition to supervising the parameters specified in (i), (ii) and (iii), water level in monitoring wells must be supervised.

4. Areas where exploitation of underground water is restricted in Vietnam

To restrain exploitation of underground water in the following areas:

- Areas having surface water sources have capacity to satisfy stably for demands on using water;

- Areas having underground water level being consecutively declined and having hazard of being decreased excessively;    

- Areas having hazard of land subsidence, saline infiltration, increasing pollution due to exploitation of underground water;

- Areas having underground water sources being polluted or having signal of pollution but have not yet technological solution to process ensuring quality;

- The urban areas, concentrated residential areas in rural, concentrated industrial areas or clusters, trade villages which had system of supply of water in concentration and service of water supply that ensure satisfying requirement of quality, quantity.

(Clause 4, Article 52 of Law on Water Resources 2012)

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