Clean water getting exhausted
Scientists have repeatedly rung the alarm about the lack of clean water in Hanoi which they believe would occur in the near future due to the overexploitation and the mismanagement.
According to the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, the capital city exploits 700,000 cubic meters of underground water a day. The figure is expected to be double to 1.4 million cubic meters a day by 2020.
It is estimated that there are 170,000 wells of underground water in the city, including 100,000 wells drilled by households themselves to serve their daily life activities.
Hanoians, especially those living in the suburbs, have been living in fear when hearing the rapid-fire information about the increasingly high pollution of the water they use. Periodic reports show the continued increases of the pollution levels with the indices of heavy metals, including ammonium, arsenic and organics much higher than the allowed levels.
Scientists have warned that the underground water pollution in Hanoi has become serious. Hanoi has the terrain lower towards the south and the southeast; therefore, all the surface water runs to the areas, bringing about polluted substances which soak into the earth and dirties the underground water.
In the southern and southeastern areas of Hanoi, water has been found as seriously polluted with the very high ammonium concentrations. The water wells at the Phap Van Water Supply Plant has been found as containing 30 mg of NH4 per liter of water.
Most recently, local residents in My Dinh commune of Tu Liem district got started at the news that the clean water supplied to 100 households of the five apartment blocs had a high arsenic concentration of 370 µg/l, or 37 times higher than the allowed level.
Water resources are invaluable
Amid the worries about the exhaust of the underground water in Hanoi, hydrogeologists, over the last 10 years, have been paying special attention to the Neogen aquifer in Hanoi city’s area. A survey on the water resource has been completed, which shows satisfactory results.
The survey has found out that the Neogen aquifer comprises of many water-rich areas in the south of Hanoi. The quality of the water here is good with low iron concentrations, while micro elements are all below the permitted levels.
The geologists have also discovered the areas with great potentials for water exploitation in the Vinh Bao formation. They believe that the water reserves of the sediments of the Vinh Bao formation may reach 1,642,925 cubic meters per day, or double the current exploitation level.
Especially, the scientists have also discovered the water resource with high flow at the temperature of 36oC, or warm mineral water.
According to Tong Ngoc Thanh, Head of the Northern Water Resource Planning and Survey Union, the newly found water resource can be exploited for daily life and production activities (garments, electronics) which need high quality water. Meanwhile, the mineral water would be a good condition for the city to develop tourism.
Thanh has warned that the newly water source is deeper under the earth in comparison with the currently exploited water layers, which means that it would cost higher initial investment rate to obtain clean water. However, he has affirmed the long term benefits of the exploitation of the water source.
CV