The board’s deputy head Vuong Hai Long said that the second phase set sights on restoring and preserving the ecosystem of Saigon River and the lower reaches of Dong Nai River, improving urban landscape and raising residents’ awareness of environmental protection.

Construction will include a wastewater treatment plant with a capacity of 486,000 cubic meters a day, an 8km drainage route to link up the sluice system which had been built in the first phase, and wastewater collecting sewers in District 2.

Wastewater will be collected as much as possible for treatment before being discharged into Saigon River. The board and local authorities will assist households to build sewers leading wastewater from their houses to the project’s drain system.

The first phase of the project with a total capital of US$200 million has been done to significantly reduce flooding and pollution for 1.2 million people in Districts 1, 3, 10, Phu Nhuan, Tan Binh, Binh Thanh, and Go Vap.

Over 7,000 households had been relocated to clear the site for the first phase which was carried out in ten years to build nine kilometers of combined sewers, install 16 kilometers of embankments and fortify 16 bridges along the canal.      
   
Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe clean-up is one of the first and biggest environmental improvement projects in the city, playing significant role to improve the living environment for citizens.

However the first phase had been implemented too slowly causing difficulties for local residents’ life and travel because of many reasons. The main cause was due to the limited ability of contractors.

Mr. Long said that the Environmental Hygiene Project Management Board will give priority to those contractors with good construction techniques in the second phase, which is expected to finish by 2020. Tenders from Australia, Thailand and Japan have registered to attend in the project.