Agree to move the raw water intake point of Quy Hop Water Plant
After many years of struggling with the proposal to move the raw water intake point of Quy Hop Water Plant due to concerns about pollution, the authorities have now agreed to move the raw water source to another stream.
Re-survey of reserves
On December 3, Mr. Quan Vi Giang - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quy Hop district said that the locality is coordinating with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to survey and monitor the water quality at Nam Choong stream (Chau Dinh commune), in order to assess the reserves and quality of the water source at this stream. This move took place after the Department of Construction - the standing agency of the Steering Committee for safe water supply, prevention of loss and revenue loss of clean water in the province agreed with the proposal to move the raw water intake point for Quy Hop town water plant from Nam Huong stream to Nam Choong stream.
Accordingly, Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company will have to spend its own money to build a pumping station and a pipeline system to transport raw water from the new planned exploitation location to the water supply station.
“The assessment of water reserves and monitoring of water resources at Nam Choong stream is the first step according to regulations. Currently, there are no monitoring results from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, but according to the district’s assessment, this stream has abundant water resources, so there is no need to worry about reserves. Similarly, the water quality is also very clean, because there are no factories or mineral mines upstream of this stream,” said Mr. Quan Vi Giang.
Since 2017, after monitoring results showed that Nam Huong stream was contaminated with arsenic, Quy Hop district issued a documentProposal to relocate raw water intake pointfrom Nam Huong to Nam Choong. Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company, Preventive Medicine Center and Quy Hop district conducted a field survey, took water samples from Nam Choong stream for testing. The results showed that the water quality met the requirements. However, the relocation plan was still not carried out.
In August 2019, when the water sample in Nam Huong was polluted again after the monitoring results were available, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment requested Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company to have a plan to exploit other water sources to replace in case of pollution incidents of the exploited domestic water source. However, this request was not implemented.
The reason for the delay in relocating the raw water intake point is that Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company and Quy Hop District People's Committee could not find a common voice in funding the relocation. Specifically, according to the request of the water plant, in 2019, the cost for the relocation was more than 10 billion VND, of which the capital was paid by the mineral exploitation enterprises causing pollution. According to the leader of Quy Hop District People's Committee, these mineral exploitation enterprises refused to pay.
No new mineral mines granted in the upstream
Recently, after the Provincial People's Committee issued a directive, the Department of Construction had a working session with relevant units to consider resolving issues related to water supply activities of Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company in Vinh city.
According to the report of the People's Committee of Quy Hop district, the Quy Hop town water supply station was invested and built in 2000, currently supplying clean water to about 2,370 households/2,913 households, with 9,851 people in Quy Hop town and the raw water source for clean water production of the water supply station is exploited from Nam Huong stream. Currently, upstream of Nam Huong stream, there are 51 mineral mines (39 stone mines, 8 tin ore mines, 4 stone mines and 1 tin ore processing factory) licensed for exploitation and processing. The process of mineral exploitation and processing has generated waste sources that have not been thoroughly collected and treated at the projects...
In the conclusion sent to relevant units, Mr. Hoang Sy Kien - Director of the Department of Construction, stated that based on monitoring and supervising the quality of raw water of Nam Huong stream and through assessing the risks of causing environmental incidents, the current state of the surface water environment of Nam Huong stream is at risk of being unsafe.
“With the appearance of sensory factors such as water color; upstream there are many mineral processing facilities... and the assessment results of specialized environmental agencies, there is a risk of unsafety at the surface water source of Nam Huong stream. The proposal of the People's Committee of Quy Hop district to change the water source for exploiting raw water at Nam Choong stream, a tributary of the Con river flowing through Chau Dinh commune, Quy Hop district, in accordance with the Water Resources Planning of Nghe An province to 2025, with a vision to 2035 approved by the Provincial People's Committee in Decision No. 4077/QD/UBND dated September 6, 2017 is necessary,” Mr. Kien stated.
In order to adjust the raw water supply to the Quy Hop town water supply station in accordance with the process and ensure compliance with current regulations, the Department of Construction has requested the People's Committee of Quy Hop district to preside over and coordinate with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to consider measuring, calculating, and monitoring water quality to assess the reserves and quality of water sources at Nam Choong stream to meet technical requirements and ensure compliance with regulations before selecting an exploitation location. After selecting an exploitation location, coordinate with Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company to conduct a survey and guide the preparation of a construction investment proposal to submit to the competent authority for consideration and decision as a basis for the next steps; Prepare a report through the District People's Council, obtain consensus from people in the water supply service area on clean water prices before reporting to the Provincial People's Committee on the investment in the construction of a raw water supply system at a new location.
At the same time, review the entire area where the pumping station is expected to be located to exploit surface water sources for the purpose of clean water production, include it in the district's construction planning as a basis for zoning, and do not grant new mineral exploitation mines in upstream areas to avoid the risk of long-term pollution.
Meanwhile, Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company is responsible for coordinating with the People's Committee of Quy Hop district and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to organize the selection of raw water sources at new locations to ensure reserves and quality according to regulations; submit to competent authorities for approval to replace the old raw water source to supply to Quy Hop town water supply station as soon as possible; avoid cases where after being put into use, there is pollution and the risk of pollution causing waste and inefficiency; Coordinate with the People's Committee of Quy Hop district to develop a clean water price plan after adjusting the location of raw water exploitation, invest in the construction of a new raw water supply system to ensure compliance with procedures and regulations, submit to competent authorities for approval before implementing the next steps.
