Work started on the second phase of the water drainage project for Tham Lương–Bến Cát–Rạch Nước Lên Canal in HCM City’s District 12 in February, 2023. — VNA/VNS Photo Mạnh Linh

HCM CITY — HCM City is calling for investment in three planned wastewater treatment projects to treat about 365,000 cubic metres of wastewater a day in Thủ Đức City.

The planned wastewater treatment projects include Bắc Sài Gòn 1 with a capacity of 700,000cu.m per day, Bắc Sài Gòn 2 with a capacity of 130,000cu.m per day and Suối Nhum with a capacity of 65,000cu.m per day.

The municipal People’s Committee has asked the city’s Department of Planning and Investment to coordinate with relevant units to promote investment in the projects.

The city plans to open bidding for selecting investors to implement these projects by 2025, and expects to complete them in the 2026-30 period.

These projects will help the city reach its target of treating 100 per cent of domestic wastewater before being discharged into the environment.

In recent years, the amount of wastewater discharged into the environment has continuously increased. The average wastewater volume is estimated to have increased by nearly 7 per cent each year.

More than 1.5 million cu.m of wastewater is generated daily in the city. Meanwhile, the total amount of treated wastewater in the city only accounts for more than 12 per cent.

Untreated wastewater is discharged directly into the environment, affecting the landscape, water quality and daily lives of people.

For example, the Tham Lương – Bến Cát – Rạch Nước Lên canal has become a nightmare for residents on both sides of the canal because of its foul smell every time it rains.

The canal has a total length of 32.7km and spreads through the seven districts of Bình Tân, Tân Phú, Tân Bình, Gò Vấp, Bình Chánh, Bình Thạnh and 12.

The canal has been polluted for many years, affecting the living conditions of local residents.

After nearly seven years since the first phase was completed, construction on the second phase of the project on water drainage and environmental improvement of the polluted Tham Lương – Bến Cát – Rạch Nước Lên Canal in HCM City began in February, 2023.

The project will cost VNĐ8.2 trillion (nearly US$343 million). Construction is expected to be completed in 2025.

It aims to improve the quality of the environment and drainage systems, expand waterway traffic, improve the quality of life for local residents and give a facelift to areas on the banks of the Tham Lương canal.

By 2025, the city aims to reach its targets in water pollution reduction with about 2.6 million cu.m of wastewater treated, equivalent to 80 per cent of the total volume of wastewater.

To achieve this goal, the city is focusing on implementing the second phase of its environmental sanitation project (Nhiêu Lộc – Thị Nghè Basin) by 2030. — VNS