$352 Million Project To Clean Hanoi's 2 Main Rivers - Nhue River Too Filthy For Any Use

[hatrack]

HA NOI — Work is to begin on a US$352 million clean-up of Ha Noi’s Nhue and To Lich rivers – the capital’s drainage system, whose stinking, polluted waters are damaging the environment and affecting the health of thousands of residents living along its banks. The work will start at the beginning of January, following the approval of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and a decision by the municipal People’s Committee.

Natural Resources and Environment Department deputy head Pham Van Khanh said untreated waste water was critically polluting all rivers, lakes and ponds in the area and action had to be taken. "The 76-km Nhue River is so polluted it cannot even serve agricultural production," Khanh said. "Some parts of it stink and the pollution affects the health of thousands of people residing in eight districts along its course."

Hundreds of manufacturers in traditional craft villages lying along Nhue River discharged their waste directly into the river, without any treatment. Also, the Nhue gets 500,000cu.m per day of heavily polluted water from four inner rivers of Ha Noi, mainly the To Lich.

The first plan was to dilute the foul water of the To Lich to minimise its pollution of the Nhue. This would be achieved by building a sewerage system to pump water from the cleaner Hong River into the To Lich. Water from To Lich would then run into the Nhue with the same amount of pollution, but the density would be reduced.

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http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=01ENV171109