Photo: COWI

Halong City Sanitation Project, Vietnam 

COWI assisted in the establishment of a major sanitation network for about 300,000 citizens in Halong City. The network includes one of the first modern wastewater treatment plants in Vietnam.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

The project covers Halong City and Cam Pha Town in the Quang Ninh Province in north-eastern Vietnam. The project area borders Halong Bay, which is a UNESCO recognised World Heritage Site.

That is why the project aimed not only at providing improved sanitation for the citizens but also at minimising environmental degradation. This goal is reached by introducing wastewater treatment and improved solid waste management.

Modern SBR-type treatment plant

As part of the project some 80 km of open or closed drainage channels and about 10 km of sewer pipes were constructed. Moreover, a modern wastewater treatment plant of the SBR-type (Sequencing Batch Reactor) was established.

Finally, three sanitary landfill sites were established to serve the two populated areas, while two septic sludge treatment plants were established to serve areas not connected to the sewer system.

Photo: COWI

To further assist the local government in achieving the goals set, 27 large and medium sized vehicles for collection of solid waste and septic tank sludge were supplied.

COWI was responsible for the design of the entire system and for construction management and supervision of the three main contractors.

Institutional strengthening and community participation

COWI's responsibility also included a major institutional strengthening component aiming at upgrading the two urban environment companies that are now operating the facilities.

Besides, a community participation component ensured that the public received valuable information about and training in environmental protection. In connection with the community participation component a revolving fund has issued loans to more than 11,000 households to build septic tanks.

Financing

The construction activities were implemented under a World Bank loan, while the technical assistance originally was supported by Danida.

However, as the project could not be completed before the expiration of the Danish Government's aid programme, the Provincial Government of Quang Ninh decided to continue COWI's contract.