The Yen Xa Wastewater Treatment Plant, the largest in Hanoi, will begin trial runs on December 1, said Deputy Chairman of the Municipal People's Committee Nguyen Trong Dong during a project progress inspection this weekend.

Chu Manh Tuan, deputy director of the city's Department of Investment, Technical and Agricultural Infrastructure Construction Projects, said that once the project is operational, wastewater from 150 manholes along the banks of the To Lich River will be collected and treated before being discharged into the waterway.

Yen Xa Wastewater Treatment Plant aerial view. Photo: Khanh Huy/The Hanoi Times

As a key driver for Hanoi to make its four major rivers clean and protect the water environment in the capital's downtown area, the Yen Xa wastewater treatment project costs VND16.3 trillion (US$700 million), 84% of which is official development assistance (ODA) loans provided by the Japanese government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

"By the end of 2024, the project aims to collect all wastewater and treat it at the plant before releasing it into the To Lich and Nhue rivers," Tuan added. 

Most of the major work on the project is complete and crews are putting the finishing touches on the culverts, sewers and other components. Some culverts have been completed and tested. New technology has been used to build the sewers and dig the tunnels so as not to affect nearby structures and disrupt traffic and people's lives.

The Yen Xa Wastewater Treatment Project has the capacity to treat up to 270,000 cubic meters per day. The project management has reported to the city that after the completion of the trial operation, the plant will immediately operate at full capacity to ensure the collection and treatment of wastewater before discharge into the river.

“After treatment, the wastewater, meeting standards, will be discharged into the To Lich and Nhue rivers. This will make the rivers cleaner and more sustainable, as desired by the citizens of the capital,” Tuan said.

As a result, Hanoi's urban wastewater treatment capacity will double from the current 28.8% (equivalent to 276,300 cubic meters per day) to about 50%, helping to improve the capital's heavily polluted rivers, particularly the To Lich River.

Part of the To Lich River on Kim Nguu Street in Hanoi. The Yen Xa Wastewater Treatment Plant is expected to make the river clean again. Photo: VNA

After the inspection, Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Trong Dong asked the Management Board of the Investment, Technical and Agricultural Infrastructure Construction Projects and the contractors to concentrate all resources to speed up the construction progress of the remaining works.

To ensure that the project can be put into operation on schedule, Dong has asked ministries and local authorities to facilitate the handover of the site and the underground construction license, as well as to ease administrative procedures for investors, contractors and related units.

When the Yen Xa Wastewater Treatment Plant goes into trial operation on December 1, it will produce about 200 tons of sludge per day, so the official asked the Hanoi Department of Construction to come up with a suitable treatment plan.

The project, which began construction in Thanh Tri District in 2016 and covers an area of nearly 13.8 hectares, will be able to treat 270,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day. It involves the construction of a wastewater collection system along the To Lich and Lu rivers, with a total length of more than 52 kilometers.

The Yen Xa Wastewater Treatment Plant is urgently needed for Hanoi's environmental treatment as it would collect and purify wastewater from seven districts, including Ba Dinh, Cau Giay, Thanh Xuan, Dong Da, Hoang Mai, Ha Dong and Thanh Tri. The work is also key to reviving the city's dying To Lich River, which has been heavily polluted for decades, and improving the lives of citizens living along the river.