VietNamNet Bridge – No river or lake in Hanoi can meet the standards set to be classified as a 1st-class body of water (unpolluted or slightly polluted), according to the Institute for Environmental Science and Development (VESDEC).

The rivers and lakes in Hanoi everyday receive millions of cubic meters of industrial, domestic wastewater along with wastewater from rice fields and aquaculture. Of this, the domestic wastewater in the city is expected to reach 440,000 cubic meter per day by 2020.

In 2008-2009, scientists of VESDEC began a large-scale scientific research program on rivers’ and lakes’ water quality in Hanoi, aiming to provide the necessary information to figure out reasonable solutions for dealing with the pollution problem.

The scientists are mapping the river and lake network in the city in accordance with the water quality. Major pollutants being assessed include acidification, organic matter, nutrients, oil and microorganisms. Curves showing the changes of dissolved oxygen (DO), typical for organic pollutants, and other pollutants along the Red, Duong, Nhue, Cau, and Ca Lo Rivers and West Lake have been drawn up.

These will be the critical documents for the assessment of the water quality at this moment and in the future, serving environmental management and pollution warning, and providing more information to water users.

According to the scientists, rain water, along with domestic and production wastewater all run into the rivers in the city, then run to To Lich River and to Nhue River through the Thanh Liet barrage. As the wastewater collects on Nhue River, it becomes more and more seriously polluted.

Only the water of the Red River section from Phong Van of Ba Vi District to Dong Ngac of Tu Liem District and from Hong Van of Thuong Tin District to Ha Nam Province’s border can meet the requirements for 2nd-class water in accordance with the WQI (Water Quality Index). This means that the water there is safe enough to be used for watering plants.

The Da River’s water is a source of tap water to dwellers of the capital city. However, the river has been found to get more polluted at some moments of the year from suspended solids, oil and grease and microorgansms.

Meanwhile, the rivers of Nhue, Tich, Bui, To Lich and Kim Nguu are seriously polluted. Pollution caused by highly toxic substances has been found in many rivers in the former Ha TayProvince (Ha Tay is now part of Hanoi) and the rivers in inner Hanoi.

The existing 1,350 craft villages have also been providing a big volume of waste water to Hanoi’s rivers. The pollution level has been increasing year after year, measured by the high percentages of the people who have come down with digestions and eye diseases (37 percent ), respiratory diseases (20 percent), dermatological diseases (31 percent).

Even the Day River, running across the Chuong My District, which had been the source of clean water for thousands of local residents, has become seriously polluted. Chu Van Kiem, Deputy Chair of Van Vo Commune People’s Committee, said the dirty water is brought there from the Day River’s upper course, which receives the wastewater directly from the craft villages that make tapioca and arrowroot.

Thien Nhien