UTS delivers sustainable aquaculture in Vietnam

A strong collaboration between the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT) and other partners has resulted in the implementation of the UTS Rapido Vietnam: Water Systems with Industry 4.0 Technology Implementation to Enable Sustainable Communities in Red River Delta and Phu Yen project.

UTS successfully transferred proven technologies of water supply systems including IoT and data analytics to Vietnam, and partnered with Vietnamese SMEs to turn these newly introduced technologies into working units that can remove products and systems including arsenic (contaminated groundwater that is used for irrigation or drinking) and filter water systems through real-time seawater monitoring systems.

A system and technology transfer ceremony held on April 21, 2023, in Phu Yen province, saw a delegation team from UTS including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International) Mr Iain Watt, Acting Dean Faculty of Engineering and IT, Professor Michael Blumenstein, Professor Eryk Dutkiewicz and Associate Professor. Diep N. Nguyen attend. They engaged with local government leaders from Vietnam including the Vice President of Phu Yen province, Mr Le Tan Ho, to charter the way forward and highlight the benefits of this project to the community.

The seawater monitoring system is the first of its kind in Vietnam and is among a select few globally that can provide real-time offshore environmental measurements including ammonia, DO, Ph, temperature, and other parameters with processing delay of sub 0.5 second in hostile conditions such as saltwater corrosion and heavy seasonal tropical storms. Four monitoring stations built at Xuan Dai Bay in Phu Yen are providing real-time data on the seawater quality for local authorities and communities, especially lobster farmers at sea to protect their harvests.

The technologies and systems that Australian and Vietnamese scientists have developed through this project will support our people in both countries to better cope with new challenges from global climate changes.

Professor Watt

Hundreds of arsenic removal and water filtration systems such as household filters and community filters have also been fabricated by the SMEs and deployed to other provinces in Northern and Central Vietnam, providing clean water for thousands of people in vulnerable areas, particularly the Red River delta where underground water is contaminated with arsenic.

Mr Le Tan Ho further said, “The data from the real-time seawater monitoring system allows the local government to assess and better plan aquaculture and other activities like tourism towards the sustainable social and economic development goals while protecting environment, coping with global climate changes, especially in coastal areas.”

Vietnamese universities and their partners are ready to commercialise the water filter (for low-cost arsenic and other contaminants removal) and seawater monitoring systems. The outcomes have contributed to providing clean water supply in Vietnam (where arsenic contamination brings a key problem to water supply affecting more than 17 million people across the country) and creating better managing seawater and aquaculture in Vietnam.