A water company in Hanoi has apologized to local residents and promised free-of-charge water for the next month to compensate for residents throughout the capital who had polluted water spouting from their taps over the past month.

In an announcement on Friday morning, Song Da Water Investment JSC (Viwasupco), a tap water supplier for several districts in the western part of Hanoi, extended its apology to affected residents and offered to supply those residents with free water for one month in order to compensate for any difficulties faced during the episode.

Viwasupco also promised to better prepare itself for emergency situations and to improve its human resources and equipment in order to ensure a stable and high-quality water supply for Hanoi citizens.

The company claimed to have solved the underlying issues behind the water contamination and stated that the water is now safe for human consumption.

Residents affected by the polluted tap water episode wait for their turn to receive fresh water in mid-October. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The situation was first discovered on October 10, when tap water in most households in Ha Dong, Thanh Xuan, Hoang Mai, and Nam Tu Liem Districts began emitting smells of chlorine and burned plastic.

As residents were asked to refrain from using the tap water in their homes, they were forced to purchase bottled water and queue for long hours to receive clean water from competent authorities.

Unofficial numbers showed that the contaminated tap water affected approximately 1.4 million people in the capital.

On Tuesday, nearly two weeks since episode began, the municipal People’s Committee finally confirmed that the tap water was once again safe for residents to use for daily activities, including cooking and drinking.

Results of the tests taken between October 16 and 21 showed that all parameters were up to Ministry of Health standards, the administration explained.

Police officers have initiated criminal proceedings against three suspects for dumping waste oil into a stream in the northern province of Hoa Binh.

Two of the suspects were arrested on October 18 while the other turned himself in two days later.

The oily sludge contaminated the Da (Black) River, a crucial water source for one of Viwasupco’s local water treatment plants.

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