On the afternoon of January 21, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha chaired a meeting to hear reports and provide feedback on the plan to replenish water from the Red River into the To Lich River to improve the environment and rejuvenate this river.
According to reports from the Hanoi People’s Committee, water will be directly sourced from the Red River and transported via an underground pipeline along Vo Chi Cong Road to the starting point of the To Lich River at Hoang Quoc Viet Road, with a length of approximately 5.3 km. This pipeline will also have a branch to replenish water for West Lake. The expected flow rate of water replenishment is estimated to be between 240,000 and 270,000 cubic meters per day, helping the To Lich River reach a depth of 3.3 to 3.8 meters, compared to its current depth of 1.3 to 1.8 meters. The flow rate will also increase to 100,000 cubic meters per day.
Additionally, along the To Lich River, several dams will be designed to settle sediment, clarify water, create flow, and enhance the landscape on both sides of the river.
Deputy PM Tran Hong Ha chairs meeting (Photo: Dinh Nam).
At the meeting, leaders from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Construction, and representatives from the Ministry of Justice cited legal regulations regarding construction and public investment. They emphasized the authority and responsibility of Hanoi in implementing the project to replenish water from the Red River into the To Lich River. Mr. Nguyen Tuong Van, Vice Minister of Construction, requested Hanoi to review and update the capital’s water supply and drainage master plan; identify the location, scale, and capacity of pumping stations; and clarify sediment management plans before introducing water into the To Lich River.
Concluding the meeting, Deputy PM Tran Hong Ha stressed that addressing pollution in rivers and lakes in Hanoi is an urgent task that must be carried out as quickly as possible. He stated that the plan to replenish water from the Red River into the To Lich River has a solid political, legal, scientific, and practical basis.
Deputy PM also asked Hanoi to take responsibility for calculating technical solutions to ensure environmental goals, sustainability, economic efficiency, and minimize impacts during construction and operation of the pumping stations, pipelines, and flow on surrounding structures.
Hanoi commits to “revitalize” To Lich River by September (Photo: Huu Nghi).
Deputy PM Tran Hong Ha noted that Hanoi must implement accompanying measures such as dredging the riverbed, collecting and treating wastewater and stormwater before discharging it into the river; improving the landscape along the river; reviewing, adjusting, and updating water supply and drainage plans.
He also emphasized that despite the urgency of the project, Hanoi needs comprehensive, overall, and specific planning, design, and solutions. “Do not rush and make mistakes in processes, designs, planning, or selecting investors, which could lead to inefficiencies and losses,” Deputy PM Tran Hong Ha advised.
He expressed his hope that the To Lich River would truly return to being a scenic, urban, service, transportation, and tourism river, and become a model for handling polluted rivers and environmental hotspots.
