The Da Nang government is investing in the expansion of the dedicated wastewater treatment plant (second phase) located at the Hoa Khanh Industrial Park (IP) in a bid to increase its capacity to 5,000 m³ per day and night to meet the growing demand from companies operating in this IP.

The second phase of the dedicated wastewater treatment plant in Hoa Khanh IP is set to be completed in 2024. Photo: PHUONG ANH

Nearly two decades ago, the dedicated wastewater treatment plant in the Hoa Khanh IP was put into operation. With the use of the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) technology, the plant had a capacity of 5,000 m³ per day and night.

Currrently, the plant receives a low volume of the wastewater from companies operating in the Hoa Khanh IP as many of them choose to discharge their effluents directly into the environment to save costs, resulting in environmental pollution, and affecting the surrounding residential areas.

A year later, Da Nang launched the ‘Eco-Friendly City’ project, and directed the central branch of Hanoi Urban Environment Limited Company – URENCO to renovate and upgrade the Hoa Khanh IP- based wastewater treatment plant. The requirement was to ensure that the treated wastewater meets national standards for industrial wastewater discharges.

At the same time, the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment urged companies operating in the Hoa Khanh IP to discharge their effluents into the IP’s dedicated wastewater plant in order to ensure treated wastewater compliance and halting illegal discharges into the environment.

Mr. Ngo Le Quang, URENCO Director said that in 2009 when took over the management of the Hoa Khanh IP-based dedicated wastewater treatment plant, the equipment and machinery were severely outdated. Despite this, over the past 14 years, URENCO has upgraded the plant's technological process, incorporating chemical treatment stages. To ensure continuous operation, the company adjusted and supplemented machinery to align with the updated process.

Till date, the plant has been upgraded to handle nearly 6,000m³ of wastewater per day and night while maintaining consistent water quality that meets national industrial wastewater discharge standards. Annually, URENCO invests in protecting, maintaining, and upgrading facilities like warehouses, sludge drying yards, large-capacity submersible pump systems, flow meters for treated wastewater, and new drainage systems.

Mr. Quang emphasized that the plant’s capacity has increased from 3,000m³ per day and night in 2006 to about 6,000m³ per day and night. “It isn't just infrastructure investment but also reflects the determined efforts of functional bodies and a shift in businesses' perception of production linked to environmental protection’, added Mr. Quang.

As reported by the Da Nang Industrial Zone Infrastructure Development & Exploit Company (DAZICO), URENCO has consistently invested in significant upgrades for the Hoa Khanh IP-based dedicated wastewater treatment plant with the use of biological treatment technology around the clock.

Currently, the plant maintains stable processing capacity. Strict inspections and penalties have successfully eliminated illegal effluent discharge, leading to remarkable improvements in the environment quality in the Hoa Khanh IP and nearby residential areas.

In 2023, Da Nang initiated a project to upgrade the plant (Phase 2), enabling it to handle an additional 5,000m³ per day and night of wastewater from companies operating in the Hoa Khanh IP, bringing the plant's total capacity to over 10,000m³/day and night.

According to UNRENCO, the Hoa Khanh IP-based wastewater treatment plant's capacity recently decreased due to companies scaling down or closing due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Cuong, DAZICO Director believed that global economic growth would rebound in the coming years, leading to a significant increase in demand for wastewater treatment from industrial companies due to the expansion of their operations. This requires proactive forecasting and investment to wastewater treatment plant in order to prevent overloading of this plant.

The city is currently focusing on increasing the capacity of the Hoa Khanh IP- based wastewater treatment plant (Phase 2) by an additional 5,000m³/day and night. It is expected to be completed and ready to receive and treat effluents from companies by 2024.

Reporting by PHUONG ANH - Translating by DUY BINH