Dredging sewers on 151 roads
Quang Ngai City has nearly 104km of drainage pipes and 6.5km of canals. The reason why Quang Ngai City is often flooded during heavy rains is because the drainage system was built before 2000, is small and not synchronized. The main drainage canals are silted up and overgrown with weeds but have not been dredged or cleared, reducing their capacity, greatly affecting the drainage flow from the inner city to the river.
A survey by the People's Committee of Quang Ngai City shows that the current situation of long-term and quite serious flooding is concentrated in 9 wards with about 19 flooded locations distributed in 5 basins.
Another rare cause of flooding is that Quang Ngai City has a rainwater drainage system and an untreated domestic wastewater drainage system that share a sewer line, leading to low dilution levels and a strong odor coming from the sewers during the dry season.
To reduce the stench from entering the house, affecting daily life and business, people in Quang Ngai City use sacks or other items to cover the drains to prevent the stench. However, when it rains heavily, people “forget” to take these items, causing the water to not drain, which is also the cause of local flooding in Quang Ngai City.
In order to minimize localized flooding, since the 2023 rainy season, authorities have assigned workers to stand guard at manholes on the road to clear the flow and stand right next to the manholes, placing warning signs for passersby.
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper reporter, Mr. Bui Van Quang - General Director of Quang Ngai Urban Environment Joint Stock Company - said that over the past 45 days, Quang Ngai Urban Environment Joint Stock Company has increased means, equipment, specialized vehicles and workers to focus on dredging mud and soil in all sewers on 151 inner-city roads in Quang Ngai City. In particular, priority is given to sections and sewers in "low-lying areas" on Phan Dinh Phung, Hung Vuong, Nguyen Ba Loan, Nguyen Nghiem, Tran Hung Dao, Quang Trung streets... At the same time, damaged manhole covers are replaced; screens are repaired in front of the manholes to ensure drainage and prevent garbage and hard objects from flowing into the sewers. It is expected that by October 30, the dredging will be completed...
According to Mr. Bui Van Quang, whenever there is heavy rain or storms, the company is always ready to assign about 15 people to be on duty at flood black spots, clearing the flow to increase drainage capacity for the city.
Waiting for the 1,000 billion VND flood prevention project to be implemented
Currently, Quang Ngai City has directed to focus on completing early the work of dredging, maintaining and repairing the drainage system, repairing manholes, sumps, and dredging Bau Ca regulating lake to increase the drainage capacity for the city. At the same time, inspect, review and dismantle encroachments, barriers, temporary bridges and culverts along the canals and Bau Giang River to clear the flow. Currently, the city has focused on completing the project to handle areas that are frequently flooded.
At the end of September 2023, at the 17th Session, the 13th Quang Ngai Provincial People's Council approved the investment policy of 1,000 billion VND to renovate the drainage system, build pumping stations and factories to prevent flooding and treat wastewater for Quang Ngai City. The implementation period is from 2024 to 2027. This project is a fundamental solution to prevent flooding for Quang Ngai City, so people are looking forward to the project being implemented.
