The goal for Black & Veatch* and the Central Region Urban Environmental Improvement Project (CRUEIP) was to improve urban environmental infrastructure in six provincial towns in central Vietnam. This is a highly flood-prone region where new capital works have not been sufficient for local communities and hundreds of thousands of residents.
Limited qualified human resources, financial constraints and lack of community participation have contributed to the low coverage of urban infrastructure services. Although the government and various funding agencies have made tremendous efforts to improve the situation in larger cities, provincial towns — particularly in the Central Region — needed more attention. Water pollution in the six towns had increased, and flooding occurred more frequently.
Black & Veatch provided comprehensive project implementation, which included engineering design, contract management and construction supervision. In addition, social and environmental issues, resettlement and institutional strengthening were achieved. During project implementation, Black & Veatch involved all key stakeholders in the discussion. The company developed an action plan to meet the client’s goals with high regard to urban needs in a longer term, more sustainable fashion.
The Ministry of Construction, the Urban Development Agency of the Ministry of Construction and Black & Veatch have improved the quality of life for urban residents. They also have reduced poverty in the six project towns and adjacent areas in the Central Region of Vietnam. The action plan included cost-recovery mechanisms to ensure sustainability of urban environmental services; public health awareness; and promotion of the important role of residents in urban management.
“Every year, many people were killed due to floods and waterborne diseases,” said Nguyen Truong Namhai, Black & Veatch Project Coordinator. “After the completion of projects with the involvement of Black & Veatch, it is very easy to see the changes compared with what existed before. Everything is cleaner, and the flooding is reduced significantly.”
*A project undertaken in Vietnam when Black & Veatch owned that business.
