HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam Association for Urban Planning and Development wants to revive Kim Ngưu River, one of the worst polluted in the city, by improving water quality in a 1.2-km section and creating a public space along the riverside.

The section starts from Trần Khát Chân Street to the Mai Động Bridge.

The suggestion was revealed at a recent workshop held in Hà Nội, attended by scientists and experts.

The Kim Ngưu River, with a total length of about 7.7km, starting from the end of Lò Đúc Street, stretching along Nguyễn Tam Trinh Street and finishing at the end of the street, has been polluted for a decade.

Statistics from the association showed that every kilometre of the river has seven sewers discharging household wastewater into the river.

This caused suffering for thousands of residents living nearby or along the river, due to the foul smell and black colour of the water.

Lưu Đức Hải, president of the Institute for Urban Studies and Infrastructure Development, said he applauded the suggestion.

“It’s suitable for both improving the river water’s quality and creating a public space for local residents by beautifying the river’s landscape,” Hải said.

However, if the People’s Committee of the city approved the suggestion, investors should not be allowed to build too many service centres along the river, he added.

Agreeing with Hải, Nguyễn Trúc Anh, president of the Hà Nội Urban Planning Institute, also deemed the option viable.

Making the river’s water clean and creating a public space was a deep concern of not only the Hà Nội administration but also scientists and local residents for a very long time, he said.

How to achieve it

To improve the river’s water, all wastewater of households living near the river must be stopped from entering the river, experts said.

Trần Tuấn Anh, author of the project, suggested building a system of underground sewers under the riverbed to collect all wastewater of households living along the river and wastewater from households in two streets of Lò Đúc and Trần Khát Chân.

Additionally, the surface water of the river would be rainwater as well as water treated from Yên Sở Pump Station nearby.

This would keep the surface water of the river smelling good, he said.

At the same time, areas of the river’s two sides would be re-built, creating a public space for local residents.

Trúc Anh said that to implement the project, the city should mobilise investment capital from the private sector.

Trần Ngọc Chính, president of the Việt Nam Association for Urban Planning and Development, also said the public-private partnership (PPP) model or calling for investment from the private sector were the best ways to implement the project. — VNS