Black & Veatch Develops Vital Infrastructure to Improve Water Supply in Southern Vietnam

Black & Veatch has commenced work on a $5.3 million contract with the Vietnamese Government to oversee and manage the Phuoc Hoa Water Resources Project, which will benefit approximately 30,000 households located in and around Ho Chi Minh City.

The project will improve water supplies for domestic and industrial use within the city and will increase Southern Vietnam’s aquaculture and agricultural output in more than 48,000 hectares (118,560 acres) of irrigation areas while developing better salinity control in downstream reaches of the Be, Saigon and Vam Co Dong rivers.

Rapid urban expansion and an increasing demand for water is negatively affecting the water supply to Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding agricultural areas. The Phuoc Hoa Water Resources Project will result in the construction of a barrage on the Be River that will retain 18.5 million cubic meters (approximately 5 billion gal) of water and will comprise an earth-fill embankment 900 meters (2,970 ft) in length. In addition, a 100-meter (330-ft) wide spillway structure with a fixed crest overflow spillway in the central section and four radial gates as well as a 38-kilometer (24-mile) long transfer canal and a new irrigation system will be constructed.

“Water resources infrastructure is a core competency of Black & Veatch,” said Nick Townsend, Black & Veatch’s regional director for client services. “We began work on the design-phase of this project in 1999 and have worked with the Government of Vietnam on other water resources project in Southern Vietnam since 2001. Our local knowledge, coupled with successful project execution on these projects, contributed to Black & Veatch being awarded this assignment.”

The project is being funded jointly by the Asian Development Bank and Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD), the government and project beneficiaries. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will execute the project, which is scheduled for completion in 2010. As part of the contract, Black & Veatch will provide support to develop capacity within government institutions, irrigation management companies and water user groups.

Source: Black & Veatch