VietNamNet Bridge - It is technologically but economically unfeasible to clean “black” rivers in Hanoi, scientists say.

Dang Duong Binh from the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and the Environment said with modern technologies, the black rivers can be cleaned, but effective technological solutions are too costly.

According to Binh, many investors visiting Hanoi have suggested cooperation projects to treat polluted rivers. However, they finally gave up the projects after hearing that Hanoians could not pay the environment fee.

“Cooperation projects do not mean charity projects. These will require operation costs that are unaffordable for the general public,” he explained. 

In other words, Hanoians cannot pay fees high enough to ensure investors’ profits. It is clear what to should be done to clean the rivers, but it is unclear how to take back the investment capital for the projects. 

Hoang Van Nghien, former Hanoi Mayor, once vowed to treat polluted rivers and assigned relevant agencies to draft investment plans. The agencies reported that it would take several billions of dollars to treat the polluted rivers at first and then VND1 billion every day to run the treatment system.

“The city has no other choice than to accept the current situation, trying to reduce the pollution step by step,” Binh said, adding that growing aquatic plants on rivers to help clean water would be the reasonable solution for now.

An official from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MONRE) said Hanoi once planned to pump Red River’s water into To Lich River to dilute To Lich’s polluted water. However, the project has never started because of a lack of capital.

The official also said public investments are now given to priority projects. Cleaning polluted rivers are lower on the list of priority projects such as education and healthcare.

“With the current Vietnamese income per capita at $2,000 per year, it is impossible to force people to pay for ‘luxury’ services such as cleaning river and lake water,” he said.

In current circumstances, Binh said, Hanoians should be satisfied with less costly solutions. Using biological products could be a good solution though it keeps the water clean for only certain periods of time. 

In early 2015, Hanoi Water Drainage placed 38 clusters of aquatic rafts in a 6km-section of the river running from Hoang Quoc Viet street in Cau Giay District to Nga Tu So street in Dong Da District.

Dat Viet