Hanoi People's Committee on Tuesday held a press conference to give updates on the tap water quality in the affected areas two weeks since the disaster occurred.
Vu Dang Dinh, chief of the Hanoi People’s Committee Office, said officials had been collecting water samples from the Da River, the VIWASCUPCO which manages the Da River Water Plant and its storage tanks, as well as residential areas in eight Hanoi districts where tap water is sourced from the plant.
Chief of the Hanoi People’s Committee Office, Vu Dang Dinh speaks at the press conference on October 22. Photo by Lao Dong
The official said that samples were collected and tested daily since October 16.
“Results of the tests taken between October 16 and 21 showed that all parameters were up to Ministry of Health standards,” Dinh said.
The official also confirmed that as of October 22, tap water sourced from the Da River Water Plant was safe for residents to use in daily activities, including cooking and drinking, and testing would continue until the end of October.
He also asked the company to supply tap water for free to affected areas until October 31.
On October 10, residents in some districts in Hanoi reported a smell similar to burning plastic coming from their tap water supplied by the plant.
On October 15, authorities in Hanoi announced their investigation results which showed that tap water had styrene levels of between 1.3-3.6 times higher than normal in some areas.
Around 250,000 households in Hanoi are using tap water supplied by the Da River Water Plant.
Police in the northern province of Hoa Binh on October 23 said they have arrested and prosecuted three men for dumping waste oil in Ky Son District which contaminated tap water at the Da River Water Plant. Investigations showed that nearly nine tonnes of waste oil was dumped at the stream near a reservoir of the water plant on October 8.
