By Xuan Ngoc 

Nhue River is being destroyed

Kim Nguu, Nhue, Lu and To Lich are slowly being destroyed. Garbage is being removed and attempts are being made to introduce water vegetation to save the ailing ecosystem, but the large amount of waste from households, industrial plants and run-off from farmland is proving too much.

About 650,000 cubic metres of wastewater is discharged into the river system each day, more than twice the capacity of Hanoi's three waste treatment plants of 206,000 cubic metres.

The Institute for Water Supply, Sewerage and Environment recently warned that Hanoi's underground water sources are being heavily polluted by untreated waste water, with high levels of iron, arsenic and ammonia. The pollution levels are highest in the dry season when contaminants become more concentrated.

Luu Duc Hai, a lecturer from Hanoi University of Science, said Hanoi lacks adequate environment planning for urban development projects.

Hai said Hanoi does not have separate systems for rainwater and wastewater, overwhelming treatment plants.

City authorities are investing in more waste treatment projects, such as the Nhue-Day River Environment Protection Project, by 2020, and raising public awareness.