Darco Water Technologies — a provider of integrated engineering and solutions for water treatment, wastewater management, clean water supply and vacuum solid waste management — announced the completion of the first phase of its water treatment and clean water supply project in Ba Lai district of Ben Tre province, Vietnam. It will supply 5,000m3/day of clean water for up to 20,000 rural households. Upon completion of the second phase construction of the project in 2024, the plant will supply 15,000m3 of clean water a day to more households and industrial areas in Ba Tri township and region of 15 communes in Ben Tre province.
The design-build-own-operate (DBOO) project is a joint venture (JV) with InfraCo Asia, a commercially managed infrastructure development and investment company of Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG).
Guests at the opening ceremony included chairman of the Ben Tre People committee, local government authorities, and representatives from Singapore, Netherlands, and Australian consulate generals in Ho Chi Minh City.
The project has a 50-year lease from the Vietnam government which commenced in 2017. About 74% of the Vietnamese population is concentrated in rural areas, but 48% of households have access to clean water and must rely on polluted sources for basic household needs during the dry season, based on a study. In 2022, deputy prime minister, Le Van Thanh, signed the National Rural Clean Water Supply and Sanitation Strategy to supply 65% of rural residents with affordable clean water by 2030, and 100% of all rural residents by 2045.
InfraCo Asia CEO Claudine Lim said, “We found a partner with technical skill sets and sector knowledge. Working together, we are proud to bring a water treatment plant that will supply water to people in the communities, meeting international health, safety, environmental, and social standards.”
