A section of the iconic Han River in the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang has been contaminated by wastewater over the past few days as a nearby wastewater collection system becomes overloaded.
Dark-colored water was spotted along a section of the Han River near Tran Thi Ly Bridge and Nguyen Van Troi Pedestrian Bridge on Tuesday morning, according to observations by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters.
Unpleasant smell was noticeable from the riverbank.
As of Wednesday morning, the polluted water had changed to a lighter color but the stench remained.
A quick report by the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment showed that coliform levels in the water collected from the Han River near Tran Thi Ly Bridge were eight times higher than acceptable standards.
The agency attributed the situation to the degraded and congested state of a wastewater collection system along a section of the nearby September 2 Street, which runs adjacent to the Han River.
Wastewater, as a result, has leaked into a sewer line and eventually flew into the waterway.
The environment department said it had previously submitted multiple reports to the Da Nang People’s Committee, proposing the construction of a new wastewater collection system along the riverside street to resolve the issue.
The agency, in coordination with the administration of Hai Chau District, has also carried out an inspection of the nearby Grand Mercure Hotel, Sun World Danang Wonders theme park, and 12 other businesses located along September 2 Street.
The municipal Department of Police has been asked to tighten their supervision to promptly deal with any violation of regulations on environmental protection.
Source: Tuoitrenews
