Mud clogs sewers, wells, and manholes, wastewater overflows, turning the North Canal into 'the To Lich River'.

The comment that the current state of the North Canal is "like the To Lich River" comes from the Vice Chairman of the Vinh City People's Committee, Mr. Tran Quang Lam. The Vice Chairman made this comparison when discussing the situation.environmental pollutionThis includes the situation at many lakes and canals in the area and the solutions the city will implement, both short-term and long-term.

The Northern Canal route viewed from above. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Indeed, the North Canal (from the North Canal Bridge to the intersection with the Hung Loc - Hung Hoa regulating lake) is currently a strip of black, foul-smelling water, truly resembling the To Lich River. The stench is most intense at points where the water flows. For example, at the spillway (Post Office Bridge), the black water flowing over the concrete surface looks like lubricating oil, and the stench is overwhelming. The cause is obvious even from observing from the North Canal Bridge. It's wastewater from the enclosed ditch section (from Mai Hac De Street).Up to the North Canal bridge, the canal continuously overflows freely day and night with a fairly large flow rate, turning the North Canal into a wastewater reservoir.

Wastewater from the enclosed ditch is overflowing into the North Canal (photo taken on February 10, 2023). Photo: Nhat Lan

As the unit tasked with managing the operation and treatment of wastewater, Vinh Urban Infrastructure Management and Development Joint Stock Company confirmed, when questioned, that the North Canal was being flooded with wastewater. This situation was identified on November 8, 2022, when company employees inspected and managed the operation of the North Canal drainage system.

The City Urban Management Department has a separate report dated November 9, 2022, from Vinh Urban Infrastructure Management and Development Joint Stock Company; and a field inspection report dated November 11, 2022, (Vinh Urban Infrastructure Management and Development Joint Stock Company, Vinh City Investment and Construction Project Management Board) regarding the wastewater overflow into the North Canal. According to these documents, wastewater overflowed into the North Canal at four locations.

Below the North Canal bridge, wastewater overflowing the spillway with a large flow rate was identified. The cause is due to high levels of sediment and sand deposited in the main sewer line and manholes, obstructing the flow. Specifically, manhole GT3 has sediment deposits up to 0.6m high; manhole C4 has sediment deposits 0.5m high; and in the main sewer line C600 and manhole C5, sediment deposits are 0.3m thick.

Wastewater accumulates and overflows the spillway (Post Office Bridge) into the Hung Loc - Hung Hoa regulating lake (photo taken on February 10, 2023). Photo: Nhat Lan

In the area around the 3/2 bridge, two separation wells (GT9 and GT10) and surrounding sewer lines are experiencing high levels of sediment accumulation, leading to blockages and overflow of wastewater into the North Canal. Specifically, sediment accumulation in separation well GT9 is 0.6m high; in separation well GT10 it is 0.5m high; manholes C33 and C36 have sediment accumulation levels of 0.3-0.4m; and the D600 and D800 surrounding sewer lines have sediment accumulation levels of 0.3m.

At the Dong Y Bridge area, specifically at separation well GT13, wastewater flows under the DN1000 sewer pipe. Inspection determined the cause of the breach in the wastewater separation wall and leakage at the bottom of the DN1000 sewer pipe; separation well GT15 is silted up to a height of 0.6m; manholes C36, C44, and the D800 main sewer line are all silted up to a height of 0.2m.

Wastewater and sludge are polluting the Hung Loc - Hung Hoa regulating lake. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Based on the inspection results, it was concluded that this was an urgent incident requiring immediate action to restore the operation of the North Canal wastewater drainage system; any delay would directly affect the living environment of the affected area and the entire North Canal. Therefore, the report and minutes included a section reporting to the Vinh City People's Committee, requesting permission to prepare documentation and cost estimates for the dredging of manholes, pits, and main sewer lines; reinforcement of wastewater separation spillways at the discharge points; and remediation of the leakage at the bottom of manhole GT13.

On December 9, 2022, the People's Committee of Vinh City issued Document No. 6666/UBND-QLĐT assigning tasks to inspect and address blockages in the main sewer line along the North Canal. The document instructed relevant units and departments to inspect the wastewater collection sewer line along the North Canal; and emphasized that "if blockages are detected, estimates should be prepared, and dredging and clearing should be carried out promptly to resolve the issue."

Prior to the province's tree-planting ceremony in early 2023, hundreds of employees and workers from the Nghe An Urban Environment and Construction Joint Stock Company contributed thousands of man-days to cleaning up waste at the Hung Loc - Hung Hoa regulating lake. Photo: Contributor

However, to date, the problems remain unresolved, and wastewater continues to freely overflow into the North Canal. Therefore, this has not only negatively impacted the environment along the entire North Canal but also affected the Hung Loc - Hung Hoa regulating reservoir. The reason for this is the lack of funding for remediation.

Investigations reveal that dredging and removing sediment from sewer lines, clogged wells, manholes, etc., along the North Canal will require over 287 million VND. A responsible official from the city's wastewater management and treatment unit stated: "Currently, the budget estimate has been reviewed by the city's functional departments and will be approved in the near future…".