A corner of the West Lake
Authorities in Hanoi's Tay Ho District have approved a budget of approximately VND 115 billion for treating domestic wastewater before discharging it into West Lake and To Lich River when necessary.
At a recent session of the Tay Ho District People's Council, District Party Secretary Le Thi Thu Hang emphasised that this project is of great significance in improving water quality, restoring the ecosystem of West Lake, and enhancing the local environment. The project is set for completion by August, 2025 with a total investment of nearly VND 115 billion.
According to the project plan, treated domestic wastewater from the West Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant will no longer be discharged into the Nhue River as it is currently. Instead, it will be diverted to a 4-hectare Sen Lake located opposite the plant. At Sen Lake, the water will undergo sedimentation and quality monitoring before being released into West Lake and To Lich River when required.
The West Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant has a designed capacity of approximately 15,000 cubic metres per day, with a peak capacity of 22,800 cubic metres per day during the dry season and up to 32,640 cubic metres per day in the rainy season. Currently, around 13,000 cubic metres of domestic wastewater are collected and treated daily using Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) technology.
West Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in Hanoi, covering an area of over 500 hectares. Research conducted by Tay Ho District indicates that the lake supports a diverse aquatic ecosystem, comprising 72 species of phytoplankton, 47 species of benthic algae, 37 species of zooplankton, 29 species of benthic animals (such as shrimp, crabs, clams, snails, and worms), 12 species of crustaceans, and 46 species of fish.
