Assessing the surface water quality of west lake in hanoi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Student thesis is the last test for students on how they apply knowledge that they have learned at university to reality For many students, doing thesis is seen as a mean that helps student to be familiar with research activities in the future With the permission of the Faculty of Forest Resources and Environmental Management- Vietnam Forestry University, and the guidance of Msc Nguyen Thi Bich Hao, I chose the topic “Assessing the water quality of West Lake in Hanoi” For the completion of this thesis, I would like to say thanks to Msc Nguyen Thi Bich Hao, who helped and instructed to complete this thesis from choosing topic, taking sampling, and analyzing indicators I also would like to express my gratefulness to Professor Lee MacDonald, from Colorado State University, United State of America, who has helped and guided me in writing the thesis proposal and thesis report In addition, I highly appreciate the supports of Faculty of Forest Resources and Environmental Management in facilitating me to this student thesis Finally, I also would like to say thanks to people who live surrounding the West Lake for answering my interviewing questions, and staff of Chemical Institute for helping me in analyzing samples Sincerely! Xuan Mai, Month Date Year Student Nguyen Quoc Anh ABSTRACT West Lake, which locates in the north-west of Hanoi center, is the largest natural lake in Hanoi The area surrounding West Lake is planned to become the center of city in the near future However, in recent years, the lake has been contaminated by overflowing rainwater and domestic wastewater from surrounding residential area To assess water quality of the lake, the thesis used various research methods, such as field investigation, West Lake’s water quality assessment through examining some major physical and chemical indicators such as BOD, COD, turbidity , methods of interviewing and data processing The research results show that water of West Lake is polluted by waste flows from domestic activities, overflowing runoff, services It is shown by the analytical results of some water quality indicators Business, increasing number of people in West Lake and bad awareness of people are major socio – economic development activities that contribute to the degradation of West Lake water quality in the study area To contribute to improve the quality of the river water, the thesis proposes some solutions such as: have a program about the water management, investigate for protecting environment, increase notice people about the importance of environment to raise awareness of social to keep and protect the environment CONTENT INTRODUCTION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 2.1 Goals 2.2 Objectives 3 METHODS 3.1 Investigating the study area 3.2 Interviewing 3.3 Assessing the water quality of West Lake 3.3.1 Analyzing selected indicators 3.3.2 Selecting locations and sites of sampling 3.3.3 Tools and methods for sampling 3.3.4 Analysis Methods 3.3.5 Comparative assessment method 11 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 13 4.1 Socio - economic conditions of Tay Ho district 13 4.2 Current status of West Lake’s water quality 14 4.3 Major impacts of water contamination on the ecological functions and living quality 21 4.4 Solutions 23 4.4.1 Locations and characteristics of the waste generator discharged to West Lake 23 4.4.2 Increasing awareness 24 4.4.3 Enhancing the management capacity of local authorities 24 4.4.4 Developing additional social policies 24 CONCLUSIONS 26 REFERENCES LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 Map of the study area (Source: Google map) Figure 3.1 Water sampling positions Graph 4.1 Analyzed results of pH for West Lake’s water 16 Graph 4.2 Results of turbidity indicators in West Lake 17 Graph 4.3 Results of COD indicators in West Lake 17 Graph 4.4 Results of NH4+ indicators in West Lake 18 Graph 4.5 Results of PO43- indicators in West Lake 19 Graph 4.6 Results of TSS indicators in West Lake 19 Graph 4.7 Results of coliform indicators in West Lake 20 Graph 4.8 Results of TDS indicators in West Lake 20 Graph 4.9 Results of BOD5 indicators in West Lake 21 LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1 Results of interviewing people live around West Lake area Table 3.2 Water samplings of West Lake Table 3.3 Analyzing results of some water indicators of West Lake 11 Table 3.4 Limits of water quality indicators 12 Table 4.1 Analyzed results on water quality of West Lake 15 Table 4.2 Knowledge of people about water quality of West Lake 21 Table 4.3 Impacts affecting the water quality of West Lake 22 INTRODUCTION Water is an important necessity for the life and for producing Water is a gift given by natural that any country have However, with the development of economics and society, population explosion, polluted environment, climate change, etc make water become a serious problem in the whole world Because of increasing population and economic growth, water is increasingly being abused The process of urbanization, agricultural activities, industrial and climate change increasingly heavy pressure on the quantity and quality of water There are also many important issues which need so much care about in the Vietnam, such as pollution of the ecological environment by the production and life of human caused In big cities, like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, the pollution is also need to pay attention It is the pollution of waste water, waste, medical waste, air, noise In recent years, urban population increased rapidly causing drainage system does not respond well and decrease the quality rapidly Waste water, waste (include inorganic and organic) in the city mostly directly discharged into the environment without any treatment measures environment other than transport According to the authorities, everyday people in the big cities discharged thousands of tons of trash, households also discharge hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of toxic waste West Lake which locates in the north-west of Hanoi center is the largest natural lake in Hanoi West Lake is the largest natural lake in Hanoi The lake has an area of over 500 hectares (5.3 km²) with a perimeter of 18 km Lake is located in the Tay Ho district, northwest of center Hanoi The coordinate of West Lake is 21°3′18″ N and 105°49′12″ E Type of lake is fresh water lake The main water supply and the main drainage is Red River Researchers have proven, West Lake is a section of the old Red River after changing flow Tay Ho has relatively flat terrain that tends to be lower from the north to the south Tay Ho’s environmental conditions are important West Lake with an area of approximate 526 hectares is considered as the "lungs of the city” The area surrounding West Lake is planned to become the center of city in the near future West Lake’s ecosystem, flora and fauna are considered unique in the North Delta of Vietnam In addition, the lake also contributes to local flood controlling for the northwest area of Hanoi In the dry season (winter months), it plays the role of storing water and partially treating sewage of the city by automatic cleaning mechanism However, in recent years, the lake has been contaminated by overflowing rainwater and domestic wastewater from surrounding residential area This situation has been resulting in a lot of damage to not only the environment but also human life From all of the reasons above, I decided to implement the student thesis proposal with the title of “Assessing the water quality of West Lake in Hanoi” This project will contribute to protect the environment and improve the water quality in West Lake Figure 1.1 Map of the study area (Source: Google map) 2 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 2.1 Goals Through fact-finding, sampling and analyzing data and statistics on water quality of West Lake in Tay Ho district (Hanoi), the thesis aims to figure out solutions to improve the water quality and protect the ecosystem of West Lake 2.2 Objectives The thesis was carried out to achieve the objectives as follows: - Collecting data on natural conditions, population and socio - economic conditions of area surrounding West Lake; - Sampling, analyzing, and assessing the current status of water quality in the study area around West Lake; - Initially identifying major impacts of water contamination in the study area around West Lake; - Proposing solutions to improve the water quality and protect the ecosystem of West Lake 3 METHODS 3.1 Investigating the study area Because the lake is large (the diameter is 18km and the area is 5.3 km²) and with the scope of a student thesis, the selected study area will be a part of the lake to investigate the general state of the lake, near the edge for easily taking water samples The thesis also chooses some investigating area surrounding the lake to better assess the situation of the lake So thesis will choose about investigating area locations Each investigating area must have a distance from other one about km After choosing the study area, thesis will preliminarily investigate the following information: + Different types of activities in the study area: - Services; - Agriculture; - Tourism - Business + Primarily assess the water quality of the lake by some visual indicators; + Sources of pollution: - Waste water from boathouse which are made to be restaurants, bars in the lake; - Waste water from households live around the lake; - Trash from people who throw to the lake 3.2 Interviewing From the results of investigating the study area, I will interview 20 people who live near the edge of West Lake, with random address Thesis uses interviewing method to investigate information on the understandings of local people about water quality of West Lake The information is summarized on Table 3.1 Table 3.1 Results of interviewing people live around West Lake area Their knowledge on the status of Name Major impacts Their proposed of water solutions to contamination improve and that they can protect the lake’s feel water quality Activities affecting the Address water quality of lake’s water West Lake quality Nguyen Van A Nguyen Van B … 3.3 Assessing the water quality of West Lake 3.3.1 Analyzing selected indicators Based on the purpose of research and analysis conditions, the thesis chooses the following indicators to analyze and assess: - Physical criteria: pH, turbidity, temperature, content of suspended solids (TSS) and content of dissolved solids (TDS) - Chemical criteria: BOD5 (Biological Oxygen Demand), and COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), Nitrogen (NH4+), Phosphorus (PO43-) - Biological criteria: coliform 3.3.2 Selecting locations and sites of sampling Because the area of the lake is large and the thesis’s scale is limited, the selected study area is from the beginning of Thuy Khue street to Phu Tay Ho The total length of West Lake is 18km The red dots present for positions for taking water samples Each place is about 1km far away from each other The time for taking samples is 9.00 in the morning (at that time, demand of using water from resident is much) RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 4.1 Socio - economic conditions of Tay Ho district  Socio - economic conditions of Tay Ho district Since its foundation day, Tay Ho District has been building and developing the economic structure that follows the trend of "Services – Industry - Agriculture" The value of industrial production has reached an average growth of 31.2%/year; value of traveling services and trade has increased on average of 14.9% / year; value of agricultural production and fisheries has decreased an average of 3.8% / year (Portal gate of Tay Ho district) In 2008, the industrial production value reached 177.2 non-state billion VND; commercial sales-service-tourism reached 4992.4 billion VND; agricultural production value was estimated at 15.45 billion VND Particularly the first months of 2009, industrial production value reached 79.13 nonstate billion VND, reaching 45.3% of the plan; commercial revenue-services reached 2847.02 billion VND, reaching 47.3% of the plan; agricultural production value reached billion VND, reaching 42.9% of the plan State budget revenues in the district has been increasing pace of development, in 2008 reached 368.75 billion VND; months of 2009 reached 148.19 billion VND (Tay Ho district portal gate) The issue of social policy, employment, poverty reduction is concerned and implemented effectively In the first months of 2009, Tay Ho district had jobs for 2608 workers They reduced poverty to 21 households, reached 35% of the plan Material life and spirit of the people is improving effectively Information and cultural activities are promoted and implemented with the results The policy of government "All people unite to build cultural life" went into the life of all residents, the people in the area support with a strong enthusiastic If in 1996, the ratio of household standards of cultural families is 78%, then by 2008 had increased to over 85% 13 West Lake is a land of ancient cultural monuments, 62 historical monuments which is ranked 31 national monuments such as Tran Quoc Pagoda, Phu Tay Ho Van Nien pagoda, the temple of Tao Books, Uc Nien Pagoda, Kim Lien Pagoda Additionally, Tay Ho district also includes West Lake scenic area - one of the largest freshwater lakes in Hanoi capital, with about 526 area is considered the "lungs of the city"; Publicity and lake West Lake Water Park 4.2 Current status of West Lake’s water quality Water samples were taken from 9h30 to 10h30 on 17th August 2015 at the edge of West Lake The samples were analyzed in the laboratory The results are shown in table 4.1 14 Table 4.1 Analyzed results on water quality of West Lake Results No Indicators QCVN Unit Sample Sample Averag QCVN 08 QCVN02: QCVN38:2011/ QCNVN39:20 e values B1 B2 2009/BYT BTNMT 11/BTNMT Sample pH - 6.4 6.2 6.2 6.3 5, -9 5, -9 6.0 – 8.5 6.5 – 8.5 5.5 - Temperature mg/l 31.4 31.6 31.7 31.6 - - - - - Turbidity mg/l 24.05 28.31 24.59 25.65 - - - - NH4+ mg/l 9.64 7.21 7.95 8.27 0.5 - - - PO43- mg/l < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.01 0.3 0.5 - - - TSS mg/l 36 39 53 42.7 50 100 - 100 - TDS mg/l 815 212 302 443 - - - 1000 2000 18 BOD5 mg/l 8.7 5.3 6.1 6.7 15 25 - - - COD mg/l 12.5 7.7 8.6 9.6 30 50 - - - 10 Coliform 3900 4200 4700 4267 7500 10000 - - - MPN/ 100ml 15 West Lake is used for purpose of tourism and business Therefore, water quality of West Lake can be compared with standards of B2 Chemical, biological and physical indicators of West Lake exceed to the limits listed in column of B2 In addition, the analytical turbidity results are times greater than the standard of 02:2009/BYT In general, from observing when working with samples, investigating residents or from indicators, this kind of water can not be used for daily purposes of local people  pH pH pH 10 9 6.4 9 6.2 5.5 6.2 5.5 pH 5.5 Average Lower limit QCVN 08 Upper limit QCVN 08 Sample Sample Sample Graph 4.1 Analyzed results of pH for West Lake’s water As we can see, pH of West Lake’s water of all samples are in the limits of levels of B1 and B2 of QCVN08 16  Turbidity Turbidity 28.31 30 Turbidity (mg/l) 25 24.59 24.05 20 Turbidity 15 Average Limit of QCVN 08 10 5 5 Sample Sample Sample Graph 4.2 Results of turbidity indicators in West Lake The analytical turbidity results on the table show that the values of this indicator are greater about times than the standard of 02:2009/BYT Therefore, this kind of water can not be used for daily purposes of local people COD COD 60 50 COD (mg/l)  50 50 50 40 COD 30 20 Average Limit of QCVN 08 12.5 10 7.7 8.6 Sample Sample Sample Graph 4.3 Results of COD indicators in West Lake 17 In this table, the COD indicators of water samples taken in West Lake are below of QCVN 08 The highest COD indicators is just only 12.5 mg/l in sample 1, on the other hand, permitted level indicators of QCVN 08 B1 and B2 is 30 - 50 This thing is acceptable of water quality in West Lake  NH4+ NH4+ 12 NH4+ (mg/l) 10 9.64 7.95 7.21 NH4+ Average Limit of QCVN 08 1 Sample Sample Sample Graph 4.4 Results of NH4+ indicators in West Lake With this table, the NH4+ indicators of water samples taken in West Lake are above of QCVN 08 for purpose B1 and B2 The lowest indicator is 7.21 mg/l, it is times higher than permitted level of QCVN 08 The highest indicator is 9.64 mg/l, it is more than times higher than the permitted level of QCVN 08 That means it is very polluted and can’t be used for living 18  PO43- PO430.6 PO4 3- (mg/l) 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 NH4 + 0.1 Average < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.01 Sample Sample Sample Graph 4.5 Results of PO43- indicators in West Lake In this PO43- table, all of indicators taken in West Lake are lower than 0.1 That mean the amount of PO43- in water of West Lake is very small, or may not have This is good indicators of PO43- in West Lake TSS TSS 120 100 TSS (ms/l)  100 100 100 80 53 60 40 36 39 Sample Sample TSS Average Limit of QCVN 08 20 Sample Graph 4.6 Results of TSS indicators in West Lake 19 Like COD and PO43-, TSS indicators of West Lake are also below the QCVN 08 for purpose of using water B1 and B2 The highest TSS indicator is only 53, higher a little bit than QCVN 08 level B1 That is accecptable of water quality in West Lake  Coliform Coliform Coliform (MPN/100ml) 12000 10000 10000 10000 10000 8000 Coliform 6000 4000 4700 3900 4200 Sample Sample Average Limit of QCVN 08 2000 Sample Graph 4.7 Results of coliform indicators in West Lake In this table, the indicators about coliform show that this indicator at all the positions meet the standards of QCVN 08 B1 and QCVN 08 B2 TDS TDS 1200 1000 1000 1000 1000 815 TDS (mg/l)  800 Series1 600 Series2 400 302 212 200 Sample Sample Sample Graph 4.8 Results of TDS indicators in West Lake 20 Series3 For TDS, the results analyzing water samples of West Lake show that this indicator atmeet the standards 38:2011/BTNMT and 39:2011/BTNMT  BOD5 BOD5 30 BOD5 (mg/l) 25 25 25 25 20 BOD5 15 Average 8.7 10 5.3 6.1 Sample Sample Limit of QCVN08 Sample Graph 4.9 Results of BOD5 indicators in West Lake And the last indicator, BOD5, is also meet all the standards of QCVN 08 for purpose B1 and B2 of all place 4.3 Major impacts of water contamination on the ecological functions and living quality Table 4.2 Knowledge of people about water quality of West Lake Knowledge about water quality of Numbers of people Percent (%) Clean 0 Water quality of Do not know 25 West Lake Polluted 15 75 Total 20 100 West Lake (Source: Analysis from interviewing, 2015) As we can see from table, no one agree that water quality of West Lake is clean, some people even not know the water quality of West Lake (5 people, take 25% of people asked) And a large numbers of people asked think that West Lake is polluted seriously 21 Table 4.3 Impacts affecting the water quality of West Lake Impacts that affecting the Numbers of people know water quality of West Lake about it Awareness of people 18.7 Business around the lake 11 22.9 Production 6.25 People live near the lake 17 35.2 Entertainment 8.3 Tourists 8.3 Percent (%) (Source: Analysis from interviewing, 2015) From the table above, almost people who were asked agreed that behavior of people live near the lake affect most to the water quality of West Lake (35.2%) Besides that, awareness of people and business around the lake also contribute a large part to pollute to the lake (18.7%) Some people thought major caused to the status of water quality in West Lake may be producing, from visitors, or entertainment, but it is not the main major Waste water, mainly from restaurants, boats and from residential area are flowed directly to the lake without treatment This is very dangerous, heavily impacts the purity of West Lake There are many reasons for West Lake become seriously polluted as today, but the main cause of the situation, is action and human consciousness Everyday, West Lake likes a enormous ''trash'' for people to litter every kind of waste Resident who live near West Lake throw waste into the lake for "convenience" Although around the lake have public trash but many residents and tourists often not hesitate always discharged into the water With all kinds of garbage and thousands of bamboo poles down because people spot for fishing everyday, everyhour is one of the direct causes to environmental of West Lake water pollution 22 Besides household waste, the yacht floating houses along the West Lake activities is the day that the condition of the lake are becoming increasingly worse It seems that forprofit, business owners restaurant may forget about the protection of "lungs" of the capital Around the floating restaurant on Thuy Khue Street, Tay Ho District, Hanoi City, flooded waste sludge all tobacco shells, cans, wrappers, nylon unpleasant odors This is the environment to grow rampant dirt, bacteria proliferate so that no species can survive With a situations such as West Lake, the authorities have no action to react to this situation for affecting people Ms Hong, people living along West Lake said: "Since the day had little yacht floating house, west of the lake water is increasingly polluted The everexpanding restaurant, littering directly to West Lake makes source Water smelled very unpleasant” 4.4 Solutions As in part of thesis (Results and discussions), the thesis has proved that this kind of water can not be used for daily purposes of local people Water quality of West Lake is declining due to operational activities and economic development of the people live near the lake To control water quality of West Lake, thesis give some solutions below: 4.4.1 Locations and characteristics of the waste generator discharged to West Lake - Residential area around the lake: including in the area of Thuy Khue Street, Lac Long Quan Road, Au Co Road, Yen Phu Street,, Trich Sai Road It need to determine the location, population; water standards; percent waste of water - Three boats on the lake: Taboo bar on the boat, and Tay Long 2, Tay Long boat used for tourism It need to find out the numbers of customers, waste water treatment systems, how these boats interactive to the lake 23 - Restaurants, coffee in the area around the lake, such as Maxx coffee, Poseidon coffee Also need to find out how these restaurants and coffee deal with waste water and how they interactive to the lake 4.4.2 Increasing awareness As the study results above, people in the study area business a lot, and without properly water treatment system They litter around the residential areas and West Lake So education to raise awareness for environmental protection should be more concerned: + Organizing the contests to research about knowledge of environmental protection and West Lake water quality, create governmental agencies and community + Providing some educational contents about the awareness of environmental protection in schools and extracurricular meetings villages 4.4.3 Enhancing the management capacity of local authorities Local authorities are managers who understand community the most In fact, the management in the study area is still shortcoming due to the limited capacity of some cadres Therefore, the training and fostering the capacity of leadership, expertise and scientific knowledge for cadres also need to concern We can open some extra-curricular meetings at local with the participation of some experts and environmental organizations 4.4.4 Developing additional social policies The policies are to open the way for the project, the model is implemented smoothly, In addition it helps to contribute, promote and replicate of the project - The planning policies of using the cultivation land along the river, particularly forest land - Preferential policies for organizations, households with actively participate in the environmental protection and development of forests - Policies to support capitals and techniques to the infrastructural construction to protect the dike and river bank 24 - Policies on environmental management and forest management The scientists said that for the West Lake and other lakes of Hanoi city, the need to modify and complete sewer system around the lake to collect and prevent 100% of wastewater, run-off into lake There is such a new water reservoirs quickly recovered as clean as the water in the 60s of last century Moreover, these measures also need to conserve biodiversity of species of the West Lake The responsibility to preserve, conserve green space Westlake is not only the work of the scientists, professional bodies, local authorities, but the consciousness of the people also need to be improved and strengthened to contribute to the cause of keeping clean Westlake 25 CONCLUSIONS From the time the student thesis proposal, internship and the field trips in the area of West Lake, this thesis proposal make clear some points: The area surrounding West Lake is planned to become the center of city in the near future Therefore, actions which relate to business are increasing The numbers of restaurants and cafe are increasing rapidly People from other places come here to live is also increasing In addition, awareness of people to protect the lake is not good Those things make West Lake becomes more and more polluted With the purpose of using water for tourism and business, West Lake may be listed for B1 or B2 standard Indicators about chemistry, biological and physical overcome a little with a standard of B1 and B2, such as pH, NH4+ but it can be acceptable Generally, water quality of West Lake become polluted gradually because of business, waste water flow directly to the river, and bad awareness of people live around 26 REFERENCES Pham Tri Hai, The impacts of social - economic development activities on the water quality of Cau River flowing through Soc Son District, Ha Noi, Vietnam Forestry University, 2014 Dr Le Nguyen Thai, Assessing water quality in Cao Lanh commune and giving solutions, Dong Thap province, 2012 Technical Drafting Committee regulations The National Water QualityQCVN 02: 2009/BYT: National technical regulation on domestic water quality Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, 2009 Technical Drafting Committee regulations The National Water Quality, QCVN 38:2011/BTNMT: National technical regulation on Surface Water Quality for protection of aquatic lifes, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, 2011 Technical Drafting Committee regulations The National Water Quality, QCVN 40: 2011/BTNMT: National Technical Regulation on Industrial Wastewater, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, 2008 27