VietNamNet Bridge – Da Den Reservoir, which supplies water to 90 per cent of the people in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, is at risk of being severely polluted.

Da Den Reservoir, which supplies water to 90 per cent of the people in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. — Photo baotainguyenmoitruong.vn

Many local residents in Chau Duc and Tan Thanh districts bordering the reservoir are worried that the waste water treatment plant in neighbouring Dong Nai Province will affect the reservoir water, the Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper reported on Thursday.

Residents have repeatedly complained to provincial authorities of the strange water colour as well as stench from Song Xoai and Cha Rang streams – the arms of the Da Den Reservoir.

According to local authorities, the location of the plant is upstream of the reservoir. If Cha Rang stream, about 20km from the reservoir, is polluted by waste water from the Dong Nai Province plant, the Da Den Reservoir will be severely affected, particularly in the rainy season.

In May, the People’s Committee of Chau Duc District reported the incident to provincial authorities and asked them to provide a response. Recently, the People’s Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province directed relevant agencies to co-ordinate with Dong Nai Province to survey the area and draw up plans to protect the reservoir.

The hazardous waste incinerator with a capacity of 24 tonnes per day was put into use in 2014 but some construction has not been completed. A 2,000sq.m solid waste burial site is full.

The plant’s construction, including the solid waste burial site, the leaking waste water treatment system and waste water reservoirs have not yet been inspected by the Vietnam Environment Administration and granted a certificate of completion.

According to the investor’s environmental impact report, the plant’s treated waste water is discharged into the drainage system before flowing to streams and then to Cau Moi Lake in Dong Nai Province.

But in fact, the survey revealed that the plant’s waste water is discharged directly into Cha Rang Stream in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, the newspaper reported.

Water being tested

In order to avoid the risk of contamination to Da Den Reservoir, the People’s Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province has proposed the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to review the report and ask investors to ensure environmental safety.

The committee also required the investor to stop the current waste burial and remove all buried waste for burning.

Nguyen Van No, an official of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Water Supply Joint Stock Company, said that since hearing reports from local residents, the company and relevant units of the two provinces took water samples for testing every month to analyse the water quality.

At present, the water in reservoir was still safe, No said.

"However, it is necessary to take measures to prevent and avoid the risk of contamination of the whole province’s water resource," he said.

Director of the Dong Nai Province’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Minh Duc said the two provinces worked together and also affirmed that there was no environmental impact at present. However, they will come up with specific solutions to deal with the risk of future pollution, he said. 

VNS