Enhancing the role of resource and environmental monitoring activities in life

Pursuant to Decision No. 3532/QD-UBND dated December 30, 2022 of the Provincial People's Committee on approving the natural resources and environmental monitoring network of Quang Tri province for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, every year the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (now the Department of Agriculture and Environment) has assigned the Center for Natural Resources and Environmental Monitoring to organize natural resources and environmental monitoring activities according to the approved monitoring network.

Staff of the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring take samples at the Cam Lo town ecological lake to analyze and monitor the changes in indicators and components of the surface water environment - Photo: TN

In 2024, the Department of Agriculture and Environment conducted environmental and natural resource monitoring at 190 locations, with a frequency of 10 times/year for surface water, 6 times/year for seawater and air; 2 times/year for wastewater, groundwater, soil, and sediment; 1 time/week (from March to August) for saltwater intrusion. Through monitoring results, pollution cases were promptly detected and warned, providing information and data to serve environmental protection and socio-economic development in the locality.

The 2024 monitoring results, based on the current status and changes in river water quality, have determined and classified water use purposes into 3 main purposes suitable to local realities, namely water supply for domestic purposes, water supply for irrigation purposes, water supply for brackish water aquaculture purposes and other equivalent purposes.

The environmental quality of lake water at most monitoring locations has results within the limits of table 1 according to QCVN 08, not causing harm to health when surface water is directly used by humans (without treatment) for different purposes. Except for the parameters NH4-N, NO2-N at inner-city lakes such as Khe Che, Nam Hao, Lao Bao, Dai An, Khe Sanh, Khe May, Tan Do and the ecological lake of Gio Linh town exceeding the limit, the water quality is likely to cause harm to health when used directly by humans (without treatment).

The quality of coastal seawater environment, most of the monitoring parameters are within the allowable limits according to QCVN 10:2024/BTNMT, seawater quality ensures to serve the purpose of protecting the living environment, human health and other equivalent purposes. The results of seawater quality in the period 2020-2024 are relatively stable and have little fluctuation. Seawater has no signs of pollution.

However, with the socio-economic development orientation of the province in the period of 2021-2030, it is necessary to focus on building the Southeast Quang Tri Economic Zone in the coastal area of the three districts of Gio Linh, Trieu Phong, Hai Lang; at the same time, developing the marine economy associated with the formation of a coastal urban axis. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly monitor the current status and changes in the quality of coastal seawater.

Soil environmental quality at monitoring locations in 2024 and the period 2020-2024 shows that heavy metal parameters and pesticide residues at all monitoring locations are within the permissible limits of QCVN 03:2023/BTNMT (QCVN 03) and ensure for many different purposes.

The quality of groundwater environment at most monitoring locations has not shown signs of pollution in terms of heavy metals, microorganisms, minerals and organic compounds. Most of the monitoring parameters are within the permissible limits according to QCVN 09:2023/BTNMT (QCVN 09). The quality of groundwater in the period 2020-2024 generally has no major fluctuations and is relatively stable.

However, in the shrimp farming area of Trieu Van commune (old) (NN30b), the shrimp farming area of Trieu An commune (old) (NN30), the quality of underground water has significantly decreased due to salinity, the mineralization parameters all exceed the allowable limits according to QCVN 09. In some locations such as the shrimp farming area of Trieu An commune (old) (NN30), the shrimp farming area of Trieu Van commune (old) (NN30b), the parameters of oxidation, sulfate, hardness, and total dissolved solids show signs of exceeding the allowable limits and have been repeated for many years.

The quality of urban wastewater, most of the parameters monitored in 2024 are within the allowable limits according to column B-QCVN 14. In particular, the parameters TSS, TDS, BOD5, Coliform in some urban areas such as Cua Tung, Ai Tu, Hai Lang, Cam Lo, Ben Quan, Lao Bao, Cua Viet, Khe Sanh towns have large fluctuations over 2 monitoring periods (rainy season and dry season) and exceed the allowable limits according to QCVN 14:2008/BTNMT (QCVN 14).

In the period 2020-2024, urban wastewater fluctuates greatly between years and between monitoring locations. Monitoring practice also shows that domestic wastewater in most urban areas is discharged together with the rainwater collection system and discharged into inner-city lake areas. Except for Dong Ha city, Quang Tri town has a centralized collection and treatment system. However, there are still roads and areas that have not been collected and connected to the centralized treatment system. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly control the quality of wastewater before discharging it into the environment.

Air quality in 2024 and the period 2020-2024 showed no signs of pollution by toxic gases (SO2, NO2, O3, CO). Most locations of air quality monitoring parameters were within the permissible limits according to QCVN 05, QCVN 26 and QCVN 27. In particular, total suspended dust, PM10 dust and noise at some locations on major traffic routes such as National Highway 1 and National Highway 9 were close to and exceeded the permissible limits at some monitoring times, especially during the dry months.

All toxic gas parameters (SO2, NO2, CO) at monitoring locations in urban, rural areas, industrial parks and industrial clusters are within permissible limits. The monitoring results of air quality parameters in urban areas are higher than those in industrial parks, industrial clusters and rural areas. In 2024, the monitoring results of total suspended dust were exceptionally high at La Lay International Border Gate.

In 2025, the monitoring of natural resources and environment will continue to be implemented stably according to the province's program, while updating and adjusting some contents to comply with regulations such as: not monitoring surface water resources due to overlapping content according to Decision No. 289/QD-TTg dated April 8, 2024 of the Prime Minister on approving the National Hydrometeorological Station Network Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050.

Monitoring of groundwater resources: 2 times/year (dry season 3 days/time, equivalent to 10 times/month, rainy season 6 days/time, equivalent to 5 times/month) (Adjusted according to the provisions of Decree No. 53/2024/ND-CP). In addition, the Department of Agriculture and Environment increases investment in automatic monitoring stations to continuously monitor and promptly control environmental quality in areas at risk of being affected by socio-economic development activities such as La Lay International Border Gate area, Sa Lung River.

Increase the frequency of quality monitoring at some locations where environmental incidents frequently occur, with feedback from local people in order to monitor the current status and changes in environmental quality, and limit the impact on human health.

Maintain and improve the construction of environmental monitoring databases in the province to ensure consistency, synchronization and connectivity with the national environmental information and database system and publish information on local environmental quality based on annual monitoring results.

Tan Nguyen

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/nang-cao-vai-tro-cua-hoat-dong-quan-trac-tai-nguyen-va-moi-truong-doi-voi-doi-song-193115.htm