According to a report of the Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA), the monitoring results in 2021 showed that the quality of most river water of large basins including the Red, Thai Binh, Ma Chu, Ca La, Vu Gia, and Thu Bon rivers and the Mekong Delta are maintained well. At many river sections, the water is used for domestic, aquaculture and other purposes.

The average monitoring results have not thrown up unusual signals. However, local pollution is still recorded in some river sections flowing through densely populated areas, craft villages, and industrial production areas, like the Cau River before flowing into Thai Nguyen City or the Nhue River section through Hanoi City. River basin pollution is mainly of organic and nutrient sources. Most monitoring stations have not recorded any signs of metal pollution and pesticides.

Deputy VEA Director Hoang Van Thuc said the agency will continue to perform environmental monitoring of high-risk large facilities and projects and conduct twice-yearly inspections to ensure environmental safety.

According to Thuc, the first 2022 inspection will focus on solutions to shortcomings, limitations and risks found in 2021, and the second inspection will evaluate the performance results raised in the first phase and ask factories to implement relevant solutions to ensure environmental protection in the next period.

The VEA has also developed a plan to resolve environmental pollution in river basins. Accordingly, the agency will continue to review and propose projects to tackle pollution of the Cau River in each province, with the immediate focus on controlling large discharge facilities, collecting and treating wastewater from household use and from production facilities in craft villages.

The Vietnam Environment Administration has directed three environmental protection departments in the

country north, center and south to deploy strict monitoring measures.

Minh Ky