From Data to Decisions: Hungarian Water Expertise at Vietnam Water Week 2026
The Hungarian Water Partnership (HWP) once again participated in Vietnam Water Week 2026 in Hanoi, strengthening professional and business ties between the Hungarian and Vietnamese water sectors.
The HWP delegation was led by Róbert Forintos, Founding Co-President of the Hungarian Water Partnership, accompanied by Bálint Horváth, Secretary General of HWP, and Tímea Kricskovics, Project Coordinator at Tradeland.
During the three-day event, the Hungarian delegation held discussions with water utilities, government and ministerial representatives, universities and private-sector companies. The meetings demonstrated strong interest in international cooperation and in practical technologies capable of supporting Vietnam’s rapidly evolving water sector.
Digital transformation must lead to better decisions
One of the central themes of Vietnam Water Week 2026 was digital transformation and resilience in the water sector.
A key message emerging from the professional discussions was that digitalisation should not be measured simply by the number of sensors, software systems or control centres deployed by utilities.
The more fundamental question is how the growing volume of operational data is actually being used.
Modern utilities collect enormous amounts of information from networks, treatment plants, pumping systems, meters and monitoring equipment. The real value of this data lies in the ability to connect, analyse and translate it into operational decisions.
Data-driven water management can help utilities identify where water quality problems are emerging, locate water losses within distribution networks, optimise operations and prioritise investments.
Ultimately, digitalisation is valuable only if it contributes to safer, more reliable, more efficient and higher-quality drinking water services.
Technology with a human purpose
Vietnam Water Week also placed strong emphasis on the social dimension of water management.
Nguyễn Thanh Hà, Ambassador of Vietnam Water Week, highlighted that protecting water resources is not only an environmental concern. It is also directly connected to livelihoods, climate resilience and social equity.
Her work in the Mekong Delta, including a programme supporting approximately 200 women in adapting to the impacts of climate change, illustrates an important principle: technological solutions achieve their full value only when they reach the communities that need them most.
This message strongly aligns with HWP’s approach to water-sector development. Sustainable water management must combine technology, financing, institutional capacity and local accessibility.
Hungarian drinking water technologies presented in Hanoi
During Vietnam Water Week 2026, HWP member company Puraset Ltd. presented two Hungarian-developed drinking water treatment solutions.
The first, AsMET, is a regenerable adsorbent-based solution designed for arsenic removal. Its reusable media provides a more sustainable approach to contaminant removal while reducing the amount of waste generated during operation.
The second, PurAID®, is a modular drinking water treatment system designed specifically for rural and decentralised applications.
PurAID® can provide approximately 6,000-10,000 litres of treated drinking water per day and can operate using either conventional grid electricity or solar power. This flexibility allows the system to be deployed in communities where access to centralised drinking water infrastructure may be limited.
A pilot project carried out in Hanoi in 2024 demonstrated the potential of the technology, achieving more than 95% arsenic removal.
Hungarian experience in smart and decentralised water management
The themes discussed in Hanoi closely match several areas in which the Hungarian water sector has developed substantial practical expertise.
Hungarian companies and water professionals have long been working on:
smart water-network management,
data-driven operation and asset management,
water-loss reduction,
advanced drinking water treatment,
decentralised and modular treatment systems,
arsenic and other contaminant removal,
resource-efficient water management, and
sustainable solutions designed around local community needs.
These capabilities are increasingly relevant as utilities around the world seek to respond simultaneously to ageing infrastructure, climate change, growing demand, limited investment resources and increasing expectations regarding service quality.
Strengthening Hungarian - Vietnamese water cooperation
Vietnam represents an important partner for the Hungarian water sector.
The country faces rapidly evolving water-management challenges associated with urbanisation, industrial development, climate change and increasing pressure on water resources. At the same time, Vietnam is actively investing in innovation, modernisation and greater resilience across its water infrastructure.
This combination creates strong opportunities for cooperation.
For the Hungarian Water Partnership, participation in Vietnam Water Week is therefore not simply about showcasing individual technologies. It is part of a broader effort to connect Hungarian engineering knowledge, proven technologies and practical experience with local partners and long-term water-sector priorities.
The discussions held in Hanoi confirmed that there is strong professional interest in solutions that combine technological innovation with affordability, sustainability and local applicability.
HWP will continue to support cooperation between Hungarian companies and Vietnamese water-sector stakeholders, with the objective of transforming professional dialogue into concrete projects, partnerships and sustainable water solutions.