Binh Dinh’s delegation visited Australia to study the wastewater treatment technology, solid waste management, and the chemically-enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) technology applied for the construction of wastewater treatment plants in Quy Nhon city. Binh Dinh Newspaper’s reporter spoke with vice director of Quy Nhon city environmental sanitation project administration, Le Van Lich, about the visit.
Could you talk more about the visit to Australia?
Quy Nhon city is one of three cities in Vietnam (other cities are Dong Hoi city of Quang Binh Province and Nha Trang of Khanh Hoa) selected to implement the environmental sanitation project in Vietnam’s coastal cities.
The World Bank aided Quy Nhon city with a loan to invest in Quy Nhon city environmental sanitation pilot project. Also, the Global Environment Fund provided a non-refundable aid of USD 350,000 for Quy Nhon to plan the construction of wastewater treatment plant using CEPT technology. The support aims to prove the feasibility of CEPT-used wastewater treatment process in Vietnam.
A delegation headed by provincial Vice Chairman Le Huu Loc visited five wastewater treatment plants and centers and three solid waste treatment centers in Australia, including Bungendoge, Lower Molongo (Canberra), Wollongong, Bombo, Port Kembla (Sydney), Mugga Lane Materials Recovery (Canberra), Wingecarribee (RRC), and Eastern Creek (Sydney).
Wollongong wastewater treatment plant in Sydney is a typical example. It has two lines. With the first line, treated water is used for trees. The treated water will be filtered in the second line to provide for Bluescope steel mill.
The wastewater is preliminarily treated before going to the second phase with active mud and biological technology. It will then be disinfected with the ultraviolet rays.
Noticeable is the wastewater recycling line. The rate of recycled wastewater accounts for 80%, providing a considerable amount of water for the steel mill.
Wollongong also has a wastewater treatment line using the CEPT technology. It is used in the rainy season.
What did the delegation experience after the visit?
We got a lot of experience of building the wastewater treatment technology, managing the solid waste, and particularly applying CEPT technology in a wastewater treatment plant from the visit to Australia.
Bungendoge wastewater treatment plant, for example, has only two part-time workers who are in charge of operating the system.
What experience did you have for the CEPT plant project in Quy Nhon?
Many issues need considering when we select a technology for wastewater treatment plant, including CEPT plant project.
The use of land, properties of input wastewater, demands for output wastewater quality, expenditure, maintenance, technology, and other issues must be paid attention to.
Advantages of CEPT technology are that it enhances the cleanness of wastewater, strengthen the deoxidization of polluting substances, and meet the overloaded capacity in the heavy rain.
Still, using the CEPT technology means that a great amount of mud will be created. Quy Nhon CEPT plant may generate an estimated amount of mud pf 6,600 cubic meters annually.
The selection of wastewater treatment technology must meet current standards, the expenditure for operation, the maintenance, and workers’ skills.
