Urgent Implementation of the Project to Divert Water from the Red River to the Tô Lịch River
Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà has issued directives for the implementation of a project to supply additional water from the Red River to the Tô Lịch River to improve the environment, enhance urban landscapes, and protect public health.
Reviving the Tô Lịch River: An Urgent Necessity
According to Official Dispatch No. 741/VPCP-NN from the Government Office, based on the proposal from the Hanoi People’s Committee and opinions from relevant ministries, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of pollution, restoring water flow, and improving water quality in the Tô Lịch River. This is a critical task aligned with the directives of General Secretary Tô Lâm as stated in Announcement No. 111-TB/VPTW dated December 3, 2024.
In the immediate term, Hanoi must urgently implement the project to supplement water for the Tô Lịch River, especially since all wastewater along the river has already been collected and redirected to the Yên Xá Wastewater Treatment Plant. Additionally, the process of diverting water from the Red River should be integrated with reviewing related planning, managing stormwater, enhancing urban landscapes, and optimizing socio-economic benefits.
Under the provisions of the amended Construction Law (2020) and the Public Investment Law (2024), the Hanoi People’s Committee has full authority to approve and execute this urgent project. The city government is expected to take proactive steps based on the principle of "local decision-making, local implementation, and local accountability" while ensuring efficiency, sustainability, and the prevention of budget losses.
Technical Considerations and Infrastructure Development
From a technical standpoint, the Deputy Prime Minister stressed the need to address silt accumulation when drawing water from the Red River to prevent sediment buildup. Additionally, the project must evaluate the feasibility of returning water to the Tô Lịch River rather than discharging it back into the Red River. Ensuring the safety of technical infrastructure at the water intake and along the pipeline route is also a key priority.
The Deputy Prime Minister has tasked the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Construction, and Natural Resources and Environment with collaborating and providing guidance to Hanoi in completing necessary procedures related to planning, dike management, water resources, and environmental regulations to ensure the project’s timely and lawful execution.
Project Implementation Details
Hanoi has finalized the pipeline route, which will draw water from a drainage gate through the dike along Võ Chí Công Street, delivering it to the headwaters of the Tô Lịch River at a drainage point on Hoàng Quốc Việt Street.
A pumping station with a capacity of 3-5 m³/s will be constructed at the Red River floodplain in Phú Thượng Ward, Tây Hồ District. This station will include a pumping system, intake reservoir, transformer station, and operation management area. The pumped water will travel through pipelines running along the riverbank, passing under the Red River dike at Nhật Tân Bridge and An Dương Vương Street.
For the 45-meter section crossing the dike, the city will temporarily excavate the dike to install a reinforced concrete box culvert housing the main water pipelines. Along Võ Chí Công Street, additional connection points will be installed to distribute water to Đầm Bảy Lake before reaching Hồ Tây (West Lake).
The water supplementation system for the Tô Lịch River and West Lake is expected to have a flow rate of 3.0 m³/s and will use D1200-diameter steel pipes (two main pipelines and one backup pipeline). Hanoi also plans to construct three weirs at Cống Mọc, Cầu Dậu, and the confluence of the Tô Lịch and Kim Ngưu rivers.
The city is committed to completing the project before September this year.
