LookAtVietnam – The water quality in seven of Ha Noi’s lakes earmarked for renovation had improved markedly after months of dredging and cleaning.

Cleaning the West Lake. The water quality in seven of Ha Noi’s lakes earmarked for renovation had improved markedly after months of dredging and cleaning.

Employees of the Green Joint Stock Company, with the help from local residents, have been removing waste from the lakes, while staff from the Chemistry Institute under the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology applied biological methods to clean the water. The lakes’ surroundings have also be beautified.

However, Khanh said it would be necessary to periodically clean the lakes to ensure they would not become polluted again.

After cleaning work is completed, Ha Noi Drainage company will take responsibility for maintaining the lakes in pristine condition.

“A lot of companies have registered for the work and the city will give priority to those with the most experience,” Khanh said.

‘It is very important that the authorities and the local people work together to ensure that the lakes stay clean,” Khanh added.

Contaminated

Meanwhile thousands of fish were recently found dead in Truc Bach Lake because of seriously contaminated water, the head of the municipal Department of Environment Protection, Nguyen Van Luong, said.

Results of tests by the department showed that water samples from the lake contained an excessive amount of pollution, compared to the national standard.

For example, the amount of ammonium in the water was more than 32 times the allowed level, while nitrogen dioxin was over 110 times over the safe level.

According to Luong, untreated waste water from households living and doing business around the lake was the main cause of the massive amount of dead fish.

According to Nguyen Van Thang, a representative from the Ha Noi Environment Company, a large amount of dead fish has been collected in the past two weeks. Most of fish are carps, about 0.4kg each, which floated on the surface of the lake.

Previously, the Truc Bach Joint Stock Company, which took responsibility for raising aquatic products to improve the lake’s living environment, had checked and found that fish showed red spots on their skin.

“This is a sign of fungus, a typical disease that can kill the fish in a very short period of time,” Ly said.

Luong said those who kept discharging untreated waste water into the lake would face heavier and stricter punishments - up to VND500 million (US$26,300), in line with a new decree on environmental protection, which would be applied in the near future.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News