VietNamNet Bridge – The Viet Nam Association for Urban Planning and Development wants to revive Kim Nguu River, one of the worst polluted in the city, by improving water quality in a 1.2-km section and creating a public space along the riverside.

Workers dredge a section of Kim Nguu River in Hanoi in 2010. The 7.7km river has been polluted for a decade. — VNA/VNS Photo Trong Dat

The section starts from Tran Khat Chan Street to the Mai Dong Bridge.

The suggestion was revealed at a recent workshop held in Hanoi, attended by scientists and experts.

The Kim Nguu River, with a total length of about 7.7km, starting from the end of Lo Duc Street, stretching along Nguyen Tam Trinh Street and finishing at the end of the street, has been polluted for a decade.

Statistics from the association showed that every kilometre of the river has seven sewers discharging household wastewater into the river.

This caused suffering for thousands of residents living nearby or along the river, due to the foul smell and black colour of the water.

Luu Duc Hai, president of the Institute for Urban Studies and Infrastructure Development, said he applauded the suggestion.

“It’s suitable for both improving the river water’s quality and creating a public space for local residents by beautifying the river’s landscape,” Hai said.

However, if the People’s Committee of the city approved the suggestion, investors should not be allowed to build too many service centres along the river, he added.

Agreeing with Hai, Nguyen Truc Anh, president of the Ha Noi Urban Planning Institute, also deemed the option viable.

Making the river’s water clean and creating a public space was a deep concern of not only the Hanoi administration but also scientists and local residents for a very long time, he said.

How to achieve it

To improve the river’s water, all wastewater of households living near the river must be stopped from entering the river, experts said.

Tran Tuan Anh, author of the project, suggested building a system of underground sewers under the riverbed to collect all wastewater of households living along the river and wastewater from households in two streets of Lo Duc and Tran Khat Chan.

Additionally, the surface water of the river would be rainwater as well as water treated from Yen So Pump Station nearby.

This would keep the surface water of the river smelling good, he said.

At the same time, areas of the river’s two sides would be re-built, creating a public space for local residents.

Truc Anh said that to implement the project, the city should mobilise investment capital from the private sector.

Tran Ngoc Chinh, president of the Viet Nam Association for Urban Planning and Development, also said the public-private partnership (PPP) model or calling for investment from the private sector were the best ways to implement the project.

Source: VNS