BÀ RỊA-VŨNG TÀU — Water in a 10ha reservoir in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province’s Tân Hải Commune has turned red and terribly smelly, raising pollution concerns from local residents.

Many locals have blamed seafood processing factories for discharging untreated wastewater into the reservoir.

On Monday, a large quantity of red coloured water was seen flowing into the reservoir in Cát Hải Village, Tân Hải Commune.

The reservoir was built to contain water and prevent saline intrusion into agricultural land. However, local seafood processing factories have discharged untreated liquid waste into the reservoir and polluted the water environment.

Nguyễn Long Trọng, resident of Cát Hải Village, told dantri.com.vn that this was not the first time the situation occurred.

Earlier, polluted wastewater flowed through the drainage system into Chà Và River and caused mass fish deaths, affecting the livelihood of hundreds of farmers in the area.

The affected households decided to sue the seafood processing factories. Vũng Tàu City’s People’s Court is handling that case.

Nguyễn Dũng, deputy head of the sub-department of Environment Protection, said the sub-department has sent an inspection team to check three seafood processing enterprises of Trọng Đức, Hoàng Khang and Hòa Thắng. The team concluded that Hoà Thắng illegally discharged untreated water into the environment.

Dũng said previously, there were 14 seafood processing enterprises in the commune, but most were forced to stop operation due to pollution and wastewater discharges.

He said the sub-department is completing the document to fine the violated enterprise and require it to stop operation.

In reply to the strange colour of the water, Dũng said it was the colour of toxic algal. He added that the provincial People’s Committee has chalked out a plan to clean the reservoir for local residents in the upcoming months. — VNS