Waste treatment plants need funds

Hanoi is facing a pressing environmental challenge with the need to build nine waste water treatment plants to prevent the pollution of its inner city lakes. According to the municipal People’s Committee, the city needs up to VND18.7 trillion (US$896 million) to address the problem by 2015. The nine waste water treatment plants include Yen So, Bay Mau Lake, Dam Bay, West Lake, Yen Xa, Phu Do, Western West Lake, Ha Dong, and Son Tay.

Here are some key takeaways:

• Hanoi builds 9 waste water treatment plants to address pollution crisis.
• Construction funded by state budget and ODA, capacities range from 13,300 to 270,000 cubic metres per day.
• Upgraded Yen So plant begins operation, VND2.6 trillion ($124 million) spent on lake upgrades.

Overview of the Waste Water Treatment Crisis in Hanoi

Each of the nine plants will have a different cost, with the most expensive being the Yen So waste water collection system at VND2 trillion ($996 million), and the cheapest being the Son Tay plant at VND250 billion ($12 million). The construction funds will come from both the state budget and ODA (Official Development Assistance). These plants will have capacities ranging from 13,300 to 270,000 cubic metres per day, and will help address the alarming pollution crisis affecting rivers and lakes in Hanoi.

The Vice Chairman of the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Pham Quoc Khanh, highlighted the severity of the situation, stating that up to 98% of the city’s 200 rivers and lakes are failing to meet the required criteria. He also noted that 80% of these rivers and lakes are already polluted, with 90% of water waste being directly discharged into them. This has resulted in the pollution of the environment and a serious impact on urban underground water sources.

The City’s Response to Address the Pollution Crisis

To tackle the issue, the city will spend VND2.6 trillion ($124 million) to upgrade lakes in the inner city, and will start the operation of the upgraded Yen So waste water treatment plant this year. The plant has a designed capacity of 200,000 cubic metres per day. The Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, Nguyen Van Khoi, has called on the management board to study site clearance and resettlement areas, with the aim of reducing procedures and speeding up the implementation process.

In conclusion, the need for waste water treatment plants in Hanoi is imperative to address the pollution crisis affecting the city’s rivers and lakes. With the construction funds expected to come from both the state budget and ODA, the city is taking steps to tackle the issue and improve the health of its environment.