National Technical Regulation QCVN 14:2025/BTNMT on Domestic and municipal wastewater

QCVN 14:2025/BTNMT

NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON DOMESTIC AND MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER

Foreword

QCVN 14:2025/BTNMT is developed by the Pollution Control Department, submitted by the Department of Science and Technology for approval; appraised by the Ministry of Science and Technology, and promulgated by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment together with the Circular No. ……/2025/TT-BTNMT dated … (dd) … (mm), 2025.

QCVN 14:2025/BTNMT supersedes QCVN 14:2008/BTNMT – National technical regulation on domestic wastewater.

NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON DOMESTIC AND MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER

1. GENERAL

1.1. Scope

This Regulation provides for permissible limit values of pollution parameters in domestic and municipal wastewater when discharged into water receiving bodies.

1.2. Regulated entities

1.2.1. This Regulation applies to regulatory agencies, organizations and individuals (hereinafter referred to as “organizations and individuals”) related to the discharge of domestic and municipal wastewater into water receiving bodies.

1.2.2. This Regulation does not apply to entities entitled to use situ waste treatment works as per the law on environmental protection.

1.3. Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation, the terms below shall be construed as follows:

1.3.1. Domestic wastewater means wastewater generated from human activities, including eating, drinking, bathing, laundry and personal hygiene. Wastewater generated from investment projects and business and service establishments specified in the Appendix 1 to this Regulation shall be managed in the same manner as domestic wastewater prescribed in this Regulation.

1.3.2. Municipal wastewater means wastewater generated from urban areas and high density residential areas.

1.3.3. Column A, Column B, Column C (wastewater discharge zones) in Table 1 and Table 2 of this Regulation are prescribed as follows:

1.3.3.1. Column A specifies permissible limit values ​​of pollution parameters in wastewater when discharged into water receiving bodies having the function of supplying water for domestic purposes or for the purpose of managing and improving water quality to satisfy the requirements of Level A in Table 2 and Table 3 QCVN 08:2023/BTNMT - National technical regulation on surface water quality or regulations of provincial People's Committees.

1.3.3.2. Column B specifies permissible limit values ​​of pollution parameters in wastewater when discharged into water receiving bodies with the aim of managing and improving water quality to satisfy the requirements of Level B in Table 2 and Table 3 QCVN 08:2023/BTNMT - National technical regulation on surface water quality or regulations of provincial People's Committees.

1.3.3.3. Column C specifies permissible limit values of pollution parameters in the wastewater when discharged into water receiving bodies not falling into the cases specified in 1.3.3.1 and 1.3.3.2 of this Regulation.

2. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

2.1. Permissible limit values of pollution parameters in municipal wastewater

According to the regulations in 1.3.3 of this Regulation and discharge flow, permissible limit values of pollution parameters in municipal wastewater when discharged into water receiving bodies are specified in Table 1.

Table 1. Permissible limit values of pollution parameters in municipal wastewater

2.2. Permissible limit values of pollution parameters in domestic wastewater of investment projects and establishments

According to the regulations in 1.3.3 of this Regulation and discharge flow, permissible limit values of pollution parameters in domestic wastewater when discharged into water receiving bodies are specified in Table 2.

Table 2. Permissible limit values of pollution parameters in domestic wastewater of investment projects and establishments

3. DETERMINATION METHODS

3.1. Methods and techniques for sampling wastewater and determining pollution parameters in domestic and municipal wastewater are specified in the Appendix 2 to this Regulation. Other methods for determining pollution parameters are specified in the Appendix 1 to QCVN 40:2025/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial effluent.

In case multiple different test (analysis) methods are used to test a pollution parameter and an arbitration method is needed to handle a dispute, complaint or lawsuit, the test method first listed in Column 3 of the Appendix 2 to this Regulation or Column 3 of the Appendix 1 to QCVN 40:2025/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial effluent shall be used.

3.2. Other test methods (not referred to in Column 3 in the Appendix 2 to this Regulation), including: newly promulgated TCVN; national standard methods of one of the countries in the Group of Seven (G7), European Committee for Standardization (CEN/EN), Standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), member countries of the European Union, South Korea or the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) or Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (SMEWW) may be accepted.

4. MANAGERIAL REQUIREMENTS

4.1. Pollution parameters and permissible limit values of pollution parameters in domestic and municipal wastewater of investment projects and establishments discharging wastewater must be indicated in the Decision on approval for result of environmental impact assessment report appraisal, environmental license and environmental protection document.

4.2. Pollution parameters to be controlled in domestic or municipal wastewater of investment projects and establishments discharging wastewater must be specified in the Decision on approval for result of environmental impact assessment report appraisal and environmental license, including:

4.2.1. Pollution parameters specified in Table 1 of this Regulation with regard to municipal wastewater or Table 2 of this Regulation with regard to domestic wastewater.

4.2.2. Pollution parameters: Chloroform, Chlorine in case the wastewater treatment system uses Chlorine or Chlorine-based disinfectants.

4.2.3. Other typical pollution parameters (in addition to the pollution parameters specified in 4.2.1 and 4.2.2 of this Regulation) by types of production, business, and services (specified in Column 4 and Column 5 of Appendix 2 QCVN 40:2025/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial effluent) in case the municipal wastewater collection and treatment system is connected with and receives industrial effluent.

4.3. The discharge of wastewater into a water receiving body will be assessed for compliance and conformance with this Regulation if:

4.3.1. Results of monitoring and analysis of pollution parameters in municipal waste do not exceed the permissible limit values ​​specified in Table 1 of this Regulation and Table 2 (corresponding to the wastewater discharge zones (Columns)) of QCVN 40:2025/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial effluent if there are other pollution parameters specified in 4.2.2 and 4.2.3 of this Regulation.

4.3.2. Results of monitoring and analysis of pollution parameters in domestic waste do not exceed the permissible limit values ​​specified in Table 2 of this Regulation or Table 2 (corresponding to the wastewater discharge zones (Columns)) of QCVN 40:2025/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial effluent if there are other pollution parameters specified in 4.2.2 of this Regulation.

4.4. The method for assessing the compliance and conformance with this Regulation shall involve monitoring and analyzing samples of wastewater before being discharged into water receiving bodies.

4.5. The monitoring of pollution parameters specified in Table 1 and Table 2 of this Regulation and other pollution parameters specified in Table 2 of  for the purpose of QCVN 40:2025/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial effluent for the purpose of providing information and data to regulatory agencies must be carried out by an organization granted a Certificate of eligibility to provide environmental monitoring services in accordance with the law. The use of automatic and continuous wastewater monitoring results shall be subject to regulations of law.

4.6. The results of assessment of compliance and conformance with this Regulation shall serve as the basis for regulatory bodies to consider taking actions as prescribed by law.

4.7. When connecting domestic wastewater generated from production, business and service activities in urban areas and high density residential areas to the municipal wastewater collection and treatment system, the regulations laid down by the investor, manager or operator of such system or by the local government must be satisfied.

4.8. When connecting domestic wastewater of production, business and service establishments in a concentrated production, business and service area or industrial cluster to the industrial effluent collection and treatment system, the regulations laid down by the investor in construction and commercial operation of infrastructure of the concentrated production, business and service area or industrial cluster must be satisfied.

4.9. If domestic wastewater of production, business and service establishments is collected and treated separately from industrial effluent, it shall be managed in the same manner as domestic waste prescribed in this Regulation.

4.10. Any entity that is entitled to use a situ waste treatment work as per the law on environmental protection but does not build and install such work may choose to apply the regulations set out in Table 2 of this Regulation.

5. RESPONSIBILITIES OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS

5.1. Each owner of the investment project or establishment discharging wastewater shall ensure that:

5.1.1. Limit values of pollution parameters in municipal wastewater do not exceed the permissible limit values ​​specified in Table 1 of this Regulation and Table 2 (corresponding to the wastewater discharge zones (Columns)) of QCVN 40:2025/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial effluent if there are other pollution parameters specified in 4.2.2 and 4.2.3 of this Regulation.

5.1.2. Limit values of pollution parameters in domestic waste do not exceed the permissible limit values ​​specified in Table 2 of this Regulation or Table 2 (corresponding to the wastewater discharge zones (Columns)) of QCVN 40:2025/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial effluent if there are other pollution parameters specified in 4.2.2 of this Regulation.

5.2. Each investment owner or establishment owner shall determine pollution parameters according to the principles set out under 4.2 of this Regulation by relying on the following bases: raw materials, materials, fuels, chemicals used and technology for waste treatment; information on the types of production, business and services with industrial effluent connected to the municipal wastewater collection and treatment system and the list of potential pollution parameters (proposed in the application for appraisal of environmental impact assessment report, application for issuance, adjustment or re-issuance of environmental license).

5.3. The authority competent to appraise the environmental impact assessment report or issue the environmental license shall determine specific pollution parameters to be controlled on the basis of the proposal of the investment project owner or establishment owner in the application for appraisal of environmental impact assessment report or application for issuance, adjustment or re-issuance of environmental license. In case it is detected that other pollution parameters exceed the permissible limit values specified in Table 2 of QCVN 40:2025/BTNMT - National technical regulation on industrial effluent, additional control is required as prescribed.

6. ORGANIZING IMPLEMENTATION

6.1. Each provincial People’s Committee shall review and adjust its promulgated local environmental technical regulations on domestic wastewater in line with law, situation of local socio-economic development and this Regulation.

6.2. Environmental protection authorities shall provide guidance on and inspect the implementation of this Regulation.

6.3. In the cases where any of the documents and regulations referred to in this Regulation is amended or replaced, the newest one shall apply./.

Appendix 1

List of types of business and services that generate wastewater managed in the same manner as domestic wastewater

Appendix 2

Methods and techniques for sampling wastewater and determining pollution parameters in domestic and municipal wastewater