State-owned Saigon Water Corporation (Sawaco), the largest tap water provider in Ho Chi Minh City, has installed public drinking fountains in the heart of the city and this initiative needs to be expanded to other districts over their benefits to residents and tourists as well as their positive impacts on the city’s green economy development.

Sawaco raised the initiative five years ago but encountered many difficulties in techniques and unfavorable social conditions.

Drinking fountains are popular in European countries and other Asian cities. 

Residents and visitors can feel secure about drinking water from public fountains in Germany, France, and the Netherlands as the water has high purity levels, meeting European standards.

Sawaco's goal goes beyond public fountains and is focused on improving water quality and safety. The initiative, if successful, will be a groundbreaking factor for Ho Chi Minh City.

According to the municipal Department of Tourism, the city welcomed nearly 2.7 million foreign tourists with an average stay of 3.5 days each in the first half of 2024.

On average, each tourist drank three 500ml bottles of water per day, creating nearly 30 million plastic bottles in the six months. 

The public fountain initiative would help the city develop a green economy by reducing plastic water bottles.

Once Sawaco installs more public drinking fountains in the downtown area, the volume of discarded water bottles will be smaller and the city will become cleaner.

Access to public drinking water will help many people save money by eliminating the need to buy bottled water or use energy for boiling it. It is also far more convenient to drink directly from a tap than to carry bottles around.

This initiative provides immediate benefits to thousands of people working on the streets, including ride-hailing drivers, street vendors, delivery workers, and lottery ticket sellers.

Water from public drinking fountains is of high quality thanks to filtration systems and equipment at the fountains and can be consumed without further treatment.

Providing high-quality clean water to the city is part of a long-term strategy. Over the next three years, Sawaco plans to install more water fountains in areas frequented by tourists, such as hotels, museums, restaurants, and public restrooms in the downtown area, before expanding the initiative to neighboring districts.

For Ho Chi Minh City to become more attractive, attention must be given to even the smallest details, including public toilets, free Wi-Fi, accessible trash bins, and readily available drinking water.

On Saturday, Sawaco installed drinking fountains at various public places in District 3, including the Children's House, the War Remnants Museum, Quoc Te Square, District 3 Health Center, Southern Women's Museum, and Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital.

According to Sawaco, all drinking fountains' safety levels are managed electronically. Water quality information is available via QR codes attached to the fountains.

The company will monitor microbiological indicators monthly and quarterly, checking all quality targets annually under prevailing standards.

Sawaco will assign staff to clean the drinking fountains and their surrounding areas at least twice daily. The fountains will undergo weekly inspections, with repairs or replacements carried out as needed.

Filter cartridges will be replaced periodically according to the manufacturer’s recommendations or immediately if the water quality falls below standards, the company stated.

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