VietNamNet Bridge – The water surface of southern Bac Lieu Province has been significantly contaminated by untreated waste water discharged from hospitals and factories, said the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Giang Da Thao, deputy director of the provincial department's Environment Protection Division, said that tests of water surface samples from 30 different places during the past two years revealed consistent contamination, with toxicity levels between 1 and 3.7 times of the legal limit.

Of the 30 areas tested, the 25 spots located near aquaculture processing factories got the highest level of pollution. If the dirty water entered channels and canals, it could contaminate underground water, pollute land and threaten the ecological system of aquatic creatures, the deputy director said.

According to Thao, most aquaculture processing factories and hospitals were not equipped with proper waste water treatment systems. Most waste water was collected and classified, but not treated as required.

Moreover, the use of chemicals and fertilisers still proliferated among agricultural and aquaculture businesses, she said.
Figures from the division showed that there were 40 aquaculture processing enterprises, 220 rice processing enterprises, 20 forest businesses and dozens of hospitals and health clinics in the area.

Many enterprises were located along the Bac Lieu-Ca Mau and Quan Lo-Phung Hiep Rivers, meaning waste water from these enterprises could easily mix with river water and pollute the whole water surface, she said. So re-locating enterprises to industrial zones would reduce the amount of contaminated water.

Source: VNS