HCM CITY (Biz Hub) – A wide range of products, technologies, and equipment for the integrated water-supply and wastewater industry are on display at the Vietwater exhibition that opened in HCM City on Wednesday.

Visitors look at products on display at the expo. — VNS Photo Xuan Huong

More than 270 exhibitors from 30 countries and territories including Germany, Japan, Korea, China, Hungary, Singapore, and Taiwan are displaying their sanitation, industrial wastewater treatment, and purification products at the three-day event.

There are also conferences and seminars scheduled to be held.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Construction Cao Lai Quang said: "Despite making significant improvement, our water supply and drainage systems have shortcomings and are unable to keep up with urban growth."

Only 80 per cent of urban areas' freshwater needs are being met, he said, while water loss remains high at 26-27 per cent.

Huge volumes of untreated wastewater are directly discharged into the environment, causing serious pollution, he said.

He hoped the expo as well as conferences would create a good platform for local businesses and administrative agencies to learn from the experience of other countries.

Organised by the United Business Media, the event at the at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre until October 18 is expected to welcome 9,000 visitors. — VNS