Hanoi, May 16 (VNA) - The Prime Minister approved a project on studying the impact of groundwater use to land subsidence in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta.

The project will give insight into the management of groundwater exploitation and locations of depleted groundwater.

It will also assess the condition of land subsidence and its relation to groundwater use.

Based on these findings, measures to address the issue will be suggested.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is in charge of the project.

Vietnam is among the countries that rely mostly on groundwater with exploitation increasing.

According to the ministry’s National Centre for Water Resources Planning and Investigation, most provinces and cities nationwide exploited groundwater for both household and business use.

The groundwater exploited daily in the country is five million cubic metres a day and is predicted to rise further to meet new demands thrown up by urbanisation and development.

The overexploitation of groundwater had caused land to subside in HCM City, Ca Mau province, and Can Tho City, and the challenge remained immense.

VNA/VNP