Vietnam's Nghệ An Province Proposes Burying Polluted Canal

Vinh City in Vietnam's Nghệ An province is considering a bold plan to 'rescue' the Bắc canal, a 4.6-kilometer waterway that runs through the urban area and has become severely polluted, earning it the moniker 'the second Tô Lịch River.' The proposed solution involves burying the canal entirely, a project aimed at tackling the persistent environmental degradation and foul odors that plague the area.

The Bắc canal was originally designed for flood drainage in the northern part of Vinh City. A renovation project completed in 2016 included constructing embankments and a separate wastewater drainage system, with the hope of ending the severe pollution. However, the improvements proved short-lived. While the initial 1.2 kilometers, which were already undergrounded in a box culvert, remain relatively clean, the remaining nearly 3.4 kilometers continue to suffer from heavily polluted, foul-smelling black water, especially during hot weather.

Investigations reveal that the failure of the parallel wastewater channels to contain effluent is the primary cause. Designed to divert wastewater and only release it into the canal during heavy rains via automatic valves, these systems have malfunctioned. The automatic valves at the end of the canal, near a 40-hectare regulating lake, have broken, allowing wastewater to flow freely into the canal even when it's not raining. This stagnant wastewater turns black and foamy, creating a significant pollution problem.

Residents living near the canal describe it as an "open-air latrine," citing the pervasive stench and black sludge. "The smell is year-round, only slightly abating when heavy rain washes away the stagnant wastewater," said Lê Văn Hoàng, a local resident. "In hot weather, the stench lasts all day and night. At night, it's even worse; we can't open our windows because we can't stand it."

To address these issues, the Nghệ An Department of Construction is seeking feedback on a plan to bury the entire Bắc canal within the planned development area. Concurrently, the Nguyễn Sỹ Sách road, which runs alongside the canal, is slated for expansion to 60 meters with 10 main lanes. This integrated approach aims to create a vital transportation corridor connecting the city center with new eastern development zones while resolving the long-standing environmental crisis posed by the polluted canal.

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The smell is year-round, only slightly abating when heavy rain washes away the stagnant wastewater. In hot weather, the stench lasts all day and night. At night, it's even worse; we can't open our windows because we can't stand it.