CMDA Update - Strengthening Water Governance in Vietnam:

On September 16, 2024, the Van Phat Riverside Hotel in Can Tho City hosted a pivotal workshop under the Transboundary Cambodia-Mekong River Delta Aquifer (CMDA) Project. Titled translated from Vietnamese is "Conference - Dissemination and Awareness Raising of the Law on Water Resources and its Detailed Implementation Documents," this IUCN MONRE event brought together experts, policymakers, and provincial stakeholders to share updates on Vietnam’s new Water Resources Law and introduce the CMDA project.

Well-attended conference from Vietnam Provincial Government Officials and Stakeholders

🌱 Groundwater: Vietnam’s Hidden Resource

Whilst the new water laws focus on all water resources, the CMDA project is focused on sustainable groundwater management. While Vietnam is renowned for its surface water, groundwater plays an equally critical role, especially in the Mekong Delta. Groundwater is vital for domestic, agricultural, and industrial needs, particularly during dry seasons. However, the threat to this hidden resource is increasing due to climate change, over-extraction, and contamination, making effective groundwater management more urgent than ever.

To address these risks, the Vietnamese government enacted the Law on Water Resources No. 28/2023/QH15 in July 2024. This comprehensive law prioritises the protection of both surface and groundwater. The workshop, organised by the Department of Water Resources Management (DWRM) in collaboration with the CMDA Project, provided an opportunity to disseminate the new law and its four key pillars: (1) Water security, (2) Socializing the water sector, (3) Water economics, and (4) Protecting water resources from misuse.

🏛 Protecting Groundwater through New Legislation

💬 Key Workshop Information

The workshop discussed groundwater's critical role in transboundary water management in the Mekong River Basin. Key highlights included:

• Groundwater extraction and protection: Experts shared the current status of groundwater use in the Mekong Delta, highlighting the pressures of over-extraction.
• Legal mechanisms: Attendees discussed the legal protections introduced by Law 28/2023/QH15 to ensure sustainable groundwater use.
• Collaborative management: The focus was on the importance of joint efforts between Vietnam and Cambodia to safeguard shared water resources, particularly the Cambodia-Mekong River Delta Aquifer.

Bob Bower introducing the CMDA project and his sustainable groundwater expertise