Tap water in some Hanoi’s districts that was contaminated in early October is now safe for consumption, Head of the Office of the municipal People's Committee Vu Dang Dinh said at a press conference giving updates on the city’s tap water quality on October 22 afternoon.
Head of the Office of Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dang Dinh speaks at the press conference. Photo: Kinhtedothi.vn
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Earlier this month, Hanoi’s authorities have offered free water testing for residents in areas affected by Vinaconex Water Supply JSC (Viwasupco)’s Styrene-contaminated tap water. This is the latest move that the local government has made to deal with the water contamination at Viwasupco’s plant beginning on October 8.
Dinh said that officials took water samples from the Da river, the Viwasupco water treatment plant and households in eight districts of Hanoi where tap water is sourced from the Viwasupco plant for testing.
The samples are collected and tested daily, Dinh said, adding that results of the tests taken between October 16 and 21 showed that all parameters were up to the Ministry of Health standards.
Specifically, all 69 samples tested over the six days contained Styrene levels that adhered to the Ministry of Health standards, Dinh stressed.
The Da river's water samples are being tested. Photo: Kinhtedothi.vn
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He noted that the testing will continue until the end of October and the city keeps supplying tap water from other water treatment plants to residents in the affected area.
The incident began on October 8 when a 2.5-ton tanker dumped used oil into a creek which is five kilometers from the lake leading to Viwasupco’s waterworks – the supplier of tap water for several districts in the western part of Hanoi.
Two days later, Hanoi residents detected an unpleasant and pungent odor in their tap water. Tests of the smelly water by authorities later found that the level of Styrene, an organic compound that is potentially carcinogenic, was 1.3-3.6 times higher than normal.
Two suspects allegedly responsible for contaminating the source of Hanoi’s tap water were arrested on October 18, while a third suspect turned himself in on October 20.
The three men were purportedly hired to dispose of waste from a ceramics and tiles factory in the northern province of Phu Tho.
The police have launched criminal proceedings into the case.
