Urban environmental sanitation improvements in Vientiane

Vientiane is the largest city and capital of Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). The total population in Vientiane is estimated around 331,000, with population density around 134 persons per km2. The city is lacking a proper sanitation network, which is seriously threatening the health situation of the population due to discharge of wastewater into low-land areas. Therefore, the Department of Communication, Transport, Post and Construction (DCTPC) under Vientiane Capital City, initiated an Urban Environmental Sanitation Project for the improvement of the Vientiane urban environment, supported by Danish International Development Agency (Danida). This paper briefly highlights the basic objectives, major accomplishments and learning from this on-going project.