Vietnamese groundwater resources decline

Groundwater levels are decreasing in both the Northern Delta and the South. Some microelements of these two regions also exceeded the permitted level.

The Center for Water Resources Monitoring and Forecasting has announced the results of monitoring groundwater resources in 2011 in the Northern Delta, North Central, South and Central Highlands, South Central Coast.

In the Northern Delta, the water level at some points has reached an alarming level like Mai Dich, Cau Giay, in Hanoi. Water level in Hai Hau, Truc Ninh, Nam Dinh province; Quynh Phu in Thai Binh province is still in a safe range, but due to complicated aquifers.

The monitoring center analyzed the content of trace elements from 36 water samples, showing that nearly half of the samples exceeded the permitted standards. Most of the samples analyzed for the content of ammonium, manganese and arsenic exceeded the permitted standards, especially at the extraction points in Hanoi.

Groundwater resources in Vietnam are severely declining

Specifically, the content of ammonium ions is 92.4 times higher than the permitted standard. In particular, at Tan Lap, Dan Phuong district, Hanoi, this content is 233 times higher than the standard. Manganese content from 32 water samples collected in aquifer has 17 samples exceeding standard, many places have 3 times higher arsenic content than standard.

In the rainy season, the results of analyzing the content of trace elements from 30 water samples, manganese content has 12/30 samples, 4/30 samples of arsenic exceed standards.

In the Southern Delta region, a number of monitoring points, the water level has dropped deeply, reaching the proximity to the lower water level, especially in the area of ​​District 12, Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City. .

The results of water quality assessment according to national technical standards in this Delta have two substances: manganese and methane exceeding the permissible standards in groundwater. Typically, Ben Luc and Long An towns, metan targets in the main aquifers exceed the limit.

The area with relatively good aquifers is the Central Highlands, no signs of underground water pollution have been found. The content of microelements in underground water is almost standard, except manganese.

Experts said that the cause of the pollution of the groundwater is due to human activities such as garbage, domestic and industrial production that are not thoroughly treated and soaked in to pollute groundwater.

In addition, over-exploitation as well as drilling, excavation for construction and exploitation of minerals causes loss of protective rock layers to create favorable conditions for contamination and saline intrusion.

Highly recommended, contaminated groundwater can cause cholera, water contaminated with mercury can cause cancer.