Circular No. 23/2022/TT-BNNPTNT guiding the implementation to ensure safe water supply in rural areas

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Ensuring Safe Water Supply in Rural Areas

Pursuant to Decree No. 105/2022/NĐ-CP dated December 22, 2022 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

Pursuant to Decree No. 117/2007/NĐ-CP dated July 11, 2007 of the Government on the production, supply, and consumption of clean water; Decree No. 124/2011/NĐ-CP dated December 28, 2011 of the Government amending and supplementing certain articles of Decree No. 117/2007/NĐ-CP dated July 11, 2007 of the Government on the production, supply, and consumption of clean water;

Pursuant to Decree No. 98/2019/NĐ-CP dated December 27, 2019 of the Government amending and supplementing certain articles of decrees within the technical infrastructure sector;

At the proposal of the Director General of the Department of Water Resources;

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development issues this Circular guiding the implementation of ensuring safe water supply in rural areas.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Thông tư này quy định chi tiết khoản 4 Điều 38 Luật Thủy sản số 18/2017/QH14 đã được sửa đổi, bổ sung tại điểm c khoản 21 Điều 14 Luật số 146/2025/QH15.

This Circular guides on:

a) Procedures for developing, approving, and implementing provincial-level safe water supply plans and safe water supply facility plans for centralized rural clean water systems with a capacity of 100 m³/day or more;

b) Water collection, treatment, and storage safety for households in rural areas.

Thông tư này áp dụng đối với tổ chức, cá nhân có liên quan đến hoạt động kinh doanh đối tượng thủy sản nuôi chủ lực trên lãnh thổ Việt Nam.

This Circular applies to agencies, organizations, and individuals involved in developing, approving, and implementing safe water supply plans and household water collection, treatment, and storage safety in rural areas.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

1. Safe water supply means providing stable water supply, maintaining sufficient pressure, continuously supplying adequate quantities of water, ensuring water quality as prescribed by law, and managing risks according to approved safe water supply plans.

2. Safe water supply plan for centralized rural clean water facilities includes specific contents for identifying, analyzing, assessing, and managing risks throughout the entire water supply system from water sources through water collection, treatment, storage, and distribution to customers.

3. Ensuring safe water supply for centralized rural clean water facilities involves activities aimed at detecting, preventing, reducing, and eliminating hazards and risks that may cause unsafe water supply from water sources through water collection, treatment, storage, and distribution to customers according to the approved safe water supply plan.

Article 3. Principles for Ensuring Safe Water Supply in Rural Areas

1. Ensuring quantity and quality of supplied water and service quality, enhancing sustainable operation efficiency of facilities.

2. Contributing to community health protection, disease prevention, and reduction of waterborne diseases.

3. Reducing water loss rates, conserving water, and protecting the environment and ecology.

Chapter II

ENSURING SAFE WATER SUPPLY IN RURAL AREAS

Section 1

PROVINCIAL SAFE WATER SUPPLY PLAN FOR RURAL AREAS

Article 4. Basic Requirements for Centralized Rural Clean Water Facilities Ensuring Safe Water Supply

1. Ensuring continuous and stable water supply, meeting requirements for quantity and quality as prescribed by law.

2. Water collection, treatment, storage, and distribution facilities to customers must be managed, operated, and maintained according to procedures and technical standards.

3. Having measures to control potential hazards, risks, and incidents in the system from water sources to customers, and emergency water supply plans in case of water supply interruptions exceeding 48 hours.

4. Having a clear financial management mechanism, revenue sufficient to cover costs and accumulate funds for maintenance, minor repairs, and incident resolution.

Article 5. Content of the Safe Water Supply Plan for Rural Areas at the Provincial Level

1. The necessity to approve the safe water supply plan.

2. Current status of centralized rural clean water facilities within the provincial area.

3. General objectives and specific objectives.

4. Contents and implementation measures of the safe water supply plan.

5. List of centralized rural clean water facilities implementing the safe water supply plan for rural areas at the provincial level according to Model I attached to this Circular.

6. Implementation budget.

7. Responsibilities for implementing the safe water supply plan.

Article 6. Construction and Approval of the Safe Water Supply Plan for Rural Areas at the Provincial Level

1. The term of the provincial safe water supply plan is five years.

2. Before March 30 of the year preceding the planning period, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development sends guidance documents to the People's Committees of districts and communes; water supply units regarding the proposal of the plan content.

3. Before April 30 of the year preceding the planning period, the People's Committees of districts and communes; water supply units propose the plan content and list of projects meeting the requirements set forth in Article 4 of this Circular, and submit them to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The proposal content follows Model I issued with this Circular.

4. Before May 30 of the year preceding the planning period, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in charge and coordinating with relevant departments, builds the plan to be submitted to the People's Committee of the province.

5. Before June 30 of the year preceding the planning period, the People's Committee of the province approves the safe water supply plan for rural areas at the provincial level.

Article 7. Adjustment of the Safe Water Supply Plan for Rural Areas at the Provincial Level

1. The safe water supply plan for rural areas at the provincial level shall be adjusted in the following cases:

a) The results of implementing the safe water supply do not meet the targets set out in the approved safe water supply plan for rural areas at the provincial level;

b) Water supply units within the province register additional projects to implement the safe water supply plan.

2. Construction and approval of the adjusted safe water supply plan for rural areas at the provincial level.

a) Before March 30 of the year constructing the adjustment plan, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development sends guidance documents to the People's Committees of districts and communes; water supply units regarding the proposal of the adjustment plan content;

b) Before April 30 of the year adjusting the plan, the People's Committees of districts and communes; water supply units propose the content of safe water supply implementation and the list of adjusted projects meeting the requirements set forth in Article 4 of this Circular, and submit them to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The proposed content and list of projects for adjustment follow Model I of this Circular;

c) Before May 30 of the year adjusting the plan, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in charge and coordinating with relevant departments, builds the adjustment plan to be submitted to the People's Committee of the province;

d) Before June 30 of the year constructing the adjustment plan, the People's Committee of the province approves the adjusted safe water supply plan for rural areas at the provincial level.

Section 2

SAFE WATER SUPPLY PLAN FOR EACH PROJECTCENTRALIZED RURAL CLEAN WATER FACILITIES

Article 8. Content of planning for safe water supply for each centralized rural clean water project

1. Description and assessment of the current status of the water supply project.

a) Description and assessment of the current status of water sources, water supply range; water intake, treatment, storage, distribution facilities to customers; requirements for quantity, quality of water, service quality, water loss ratio;

b) Diagram of the water supply technology process including water intake, treatment, storage, distribution of clean water to customers;

c) Basic information about customers, water prices;

d) Assessment of the operation process of the project, incidents that have occurred (if any).

2. Evaluation of harmful contents, risks, and potential incidents that may occur with the water supply project.

a) Description of harmful contents to the water supply project from water sources, water intake, treatment, storage, distribution facilities, customer areas. Categorize hazards based on biological, chemical, physical factors, and other hazards; analyze and assess the level of hazard to the water supply project;

b) Evaluate the degree of risk impact based on frequency of occurrence and level of hazard. Determine risk points according to severity and less severity levels, propose safety limits for the project according to Model No. 01, Appendix II issued together with this Circular;

c) Evaluate potential incidents that may occur at different levels of severity from water sources, water intake, treatment, storage, distribution facilities, customer areas. Develop control, prevention, and remediation measures for potential incidents according to Model No. 02, Appendix II issued together with this Circular.

3. Develop additional control, prevention, and remediation measures for incidents and plan for gradual improvement.

a) Evaluate the effectiveness of existing control, prevention, and remediation measures based on severity and less severity levels according to Model No. 03, Appendix II issued together with this Circular;

b) Develop additional control, prevention, and remediation measures for incidents at different severity levels from water sources, water intake, treatment, storage, distribution facilities, customer areas according to Model No. 04, Appendix II issued together with this Circular;

c) Plan the implementation of control, prevention, and remediation measures for risks and incidents according to priority levels, with gradual improvements.

4. Develop scenarios, procedures for controlling, preventing, responding to, and remedying incidents in case of uncontrolled operation.

a) Develop scenarios for uncontrolled incidents, emergency situations from water supply sources, intake, storage, treatment, distribution, and timely response plans; propose alternative water supply measures in case of water supply interruption exceeding 48 hours;

b) Estimate resources, funding, and organizational assignments.

5. Develop a program for inspecting and evaluating the effectiveness of control measures and the safe water supply plan.

a) Determine inspection, evaluation indicators and safety control limits for the water supply project;

b) Develop a regular, periodic, and ad hoc program for inspecting and evaluating the effectiveness of control measures and the safe water supply plan.

6. Develop and manage data on the safe water supply plan.

a) Develop, store, and manage documents related to the safe water supply plan; operational management procedures; operation logs; customer files; inspection results and evaluations, remediation measures for incidents;

b) Establish mechanisms for promptly receiving and handling customer complaints and community feedback.

Article 9. Approval of safe water supply plans for each centralized rural clean water project

1. Water supply units shall be responsible for approving and implementing safe water supply plans for projects under their management according to Appendix III issued together with this Circular.

2. The costs for implementing the safe water supply plan of the water supply unit shall be included in the production cost of clean water according to the guidance of the Ministry of Finance.

Article 10. Internal inspection and evaluation

1. Water supply units shall be responsible for conducting internal inspections and evaluations on the implementation of safe water supply plans for projects under their management or hiring consulting units to carry out such tasks.

2. Internal inspections and evaluations shall be conducted regularly, periodically, and unexpectedly.

3. Regular internal inspections and evaluations include on-site observations and checks from the water source, collection, treatment, storage, distribution facilities of clean water, customer areas within safe water supply limits, and timely measures to control when exceeding permissible limits.

4. Periodic internal inspections and evaluations shall be carried out every six months and annually according to Appendix IV issued together with this Circular.

5. Unexpected internal inspections and evaluations shall be conducted when unusual incidents occur, proposing measures to address these incidents; promptly reporting to local authorities and relevant agencies for cooperation in addressing incidents related to water sources, power supply, and violations of laws concerning water supply projects.

6. Results of internal inspections and evaluations must be fully recorded in the operation management notebooks of the water supply units.

Article 11. Independent Inspection and Evaluation

1. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development or specialized agencies assigned by the Provincial People's Committee shall be responsible for coordinating with relevant agencies and units to inspect and evaluate the construction and implementation of safe water supply plans for centralized rural clean water projects within the province.

2. Independent inspections and evaluations shall be conducted regularly and unexpectedly.

3. Periodic independent inspections and evaluations.

a) Periodic independent inspections and evaluations shall be conducted annually;

b) The inspecting agency shall issue a Decision on Inspection including the following contents: Head of the team, members of the team, inspection and evaluation content, and time;

c) Sending the Inspection Decision to the water supply unit at least five working days before the inspection date;

d) Conducting inspections at the water supply unit according to the contents stipulated in Appendix V issued together with this Circular;

đ) The inspection record shall be established immediately after the inspection ends at the water supply unit; thoroughly and accurately evaluating the inspection results; concluding on the implementation of the safe water supply plan at the unit. The inspection record must have signatures of the head of the inspection team and representatives of the water supply unit according to Appendix V issued together with this Circular;

e) The inspection and evaluation results must be reported to the water supply unit within five days after the inspection according to three classification levels: "Pass", "Pass but need improvement", or "Fail", along with the contents and requirements that the water supply unit needs to improve and the timeframe for implementation. If the inspection results are "Fail" for two consecutive years, the inspecting agency shall report and propose to the Provincial People's Committee to remove the project from the list of safe water supply projects;

g) The inspecting agency shall publicly post the inspection and evaluation results on the provincial people's committee's electronic information website with the following contents: Project name, water supply unit; inspecting agency; inspection and evaluation time and results.

3. Unexpected independent inspections and evaluations.

a) Unexpected independent inspections and evaluations shall be conducted when there is information or feedback from organizations or individuals about incidents related to the quantity and quality of supplied water; environmental incidents that may affect water sources; water quality testing or epidemiological investigations indicating a risk of water pollution;

b) The competent authority shall issue a Decision on Unexpected Inspection, conduct inspections and evaluations of water sources, water quality, operational management work; contents related to incidents; water quality test results; assess causes and establish inspection and evaluation records;

c) Based on the unexpected inspection and evaluation results, the inspecting agency shall require the water supply unit to assess the causes and propose measures to address incidents.

4. Costs for independent inspections and evaluations shall be allocated from the local budget.

Article 12. Control and response procedures in case of accidents at centralized rural water supply works

When an accident is detected, if necessary, the water supply unit shall suspend the operation of the water supply work.

1. Notify the local authorities, specialized agencies, and customers about the accident.

2. Record the contents of the accident in a report.

3. Inspect, assess the cause, and resolve the accident within the scope of responsibility of the water supply unit. In cases of serious accidents, the water supply unit shall promptly inform and coordinate with local authorities and specialized agencies to implement measures for handling and rectifying the situation; propose alternative water supply solutions if there is a possibility of water supply interruption exceeding 48 hours.

4. Resolve the accident, restore, and provide stable water supply to customers. During the process of resolving the accident, ensure timely, continuous, and clear communication with relevant parties.

5. Report and explain the contents related to the accident to local authorities, specialized agencies, and customers.

6. Record in the operational management log all information and data regarding the accident and remedial measures.

7. Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the accident and propose preventive and remedial measures for potential future accidents.

Section 3

REGULATIONS ON WATER COLLECTION, STORAGE AND TREATMENT FOR SAFE USE IN RURAL HOUSEHOLDSRURAL HOUSEHOLD AREA

Article 13. Requirements for using safe water sources

1. Use surface water, rainwater, and groundwater safely according to the guidance of specialized agencies, ensuring quantity and quality of water (clear, colorless, odorless, tasteless); not contaminated by domestic waste, agricultural runoff, industrial effluents, and village crafts.

2. Have backup water sources in areas frequently affected by natural disasters such as droughts, water shortages, saline intrusion, floods, and flooding.

Article 14. Requirements for household water collection, storage, and treatment facilities to ensure safety

1. Household water collection, storage, and treatment facilities shall be installed, operated, cleaned, and replaced regularly according to the manufacturer's instructions or specialized agency guidelines.

2. Apply appropriate water treatment methods suitable for the source water to remove impurities harmful to human health.

3. Do not use tools or equipment containing toxic substances as household water collection, treatment, and storage devices.

4. Apply appropriate disinfection methods before using water for drinking and cooking purposes.

Article 15. Responsibilities of households

1. Implement safe water collection, storage, and treatment measures for households as prescribed and guided by specialized agencies and local authorities.

2. Regularly monitor, inspect, and protect the quantity and quality of household water, promptly reporting to local authorities when abnormalities in the quantity or quality of water being used are discovered.

3. Install water filtration and treatment equipment for households that meet technical standards for materials, equipment, and quality as prescribed when advised by competent authorities regarding the quality of supplied water.

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTATIONENSURING SAFE WATER SUPPLY IN RURAL AREAS

Article 16. Responsibilities of the General Department of Water Resources

1. Summarize the results of implementation and guide independent inspections and evaluations of the national rural safe water supply plan.

2. Guide the development of provincial-level rural safe water supply plans.

3. Coordinate with relevant agencies and units to implement activities to promote and disseminate information on rural safe water supply to management agencies, water supply units, and households.

Article 17. Provincial People's Committee

1. Direct the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development:

a) Issue guidance materials, organize training on the construction, approval of safe water supply plans for centralized rural clean water works; collection, treatment, and safe storage of household water;

b) Promote and guide water supply units and households to monitor and maintain the quantity and quality of water;

c) Build information and data to ensure safe water supply in rural areas;

d) Annually report the results of implementing safe water supply to the provincial People's Committee and the General Department of Water Resources according to Appendix VI issued together with this Circular.

2. Direct specialized agencies to implement safe water supply for nearby rural areas supplied with urban water from urban water plants; carry out inspections and supervision of the quantity and quality of rural water in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Article 18. District People's Committee

1. Coordinate and supervise the implementation of safe water supply plans for centralized rural clean water works within their jurisdiction.

2. Coordinate in building information and data on ensuring safe water supply in rural areas.

3. Annually report the results of implementing safe water supply to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development according to Appendix VI issued together with this Circular.

Article 19. Commune People's Committee

1. Take the lead in guiding, monitoring, and inspecting the collection, treatment, and safe storage of household water:

a) Monitor, inspect, and supervise the quality of household water to ensure safety;

b) Promote and disseminate knowledge and guide households to collect, treat, and safely store household water;

c) Timely notify individuals and households using household water facilities when receiving recommendations from relevant state management agencies regarding water source quality and supplied water;

d) Compile a list of households that collect, treat, and safely store household water within the managed area.

2. Annually report the results of implementing safe water supply to the district People's Committee according to Appendix VI issued together with this Circular.

3. Implement the contents stipulated in Article 20 of this Circular when assigned the task of being a water supply unit.

Article 20. Water Supply Units

1. Determine boundaries, install warning signs, organize protection of water collection areas and water supply systems; promptly detect and prevent, and recommend competent authorities to handle violations that affect the safety of water supply activities in the managed area.

2. Propose selection of long-term exploitation water sources, reserves, and appropriate treatment technologies at each stage to ensure water supply to customers meeting quantity and quality requirements.

3. Annually report to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the district People's Committee, and the commune People's Committee on the results of approving and implementing safe water supply plans for works managed by the unit according to Appendix VI issued together with this Circular.

4. Carry out propaganda, dissemination, and mobilization of people to participate in protecting water supply facilities, using water economically and safely.

5. Publicize information about the implementation of safe water supply plans of the unit.

6. Coordinate in building information and data on ensuring safe water supply in rural areas.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 21. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from February 28, 2023.

2. The Minister, Heads of Ministries equivalent to Ministries, agencies under the Government, Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, and related organizations and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular.

3. In the process of organizing implementation, if there are emerging issues or difficulties, localities should reflect them to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for timely supplementation and amendment.

Article 22. Transitional provisions

Provincial rural safe water supply plans and centralized rural clean water supply safety plans that have been approved by competent authorities before the date this Circular takes effect shall continue to be implemented according to the approved plans./.