Oil-polluted ground water spreads in Đắk Lắk

ĐẮK LẮK — Residents living in Ea Tu Commune in the Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) province of Đắk Lắk’s Buôn Ma Thuột City are concerned and call for solutions to curb the spread of ground water pollution.

Well water in the commune has been found to contain a high level of oil.

The oil was first detected in three wells in the commune’s Ju Village last July. 

Trần Văn Quế, a local, said his family first smelled the foul-smelling odour and saw oil in their well’s water last July, and reported it to the local authority. Quế said the oil-polluted water could easily catch fire.

At present, oil is found in the water of 15 wells in the village, posing a high risk to the surrounding area.

The oil spread is allegedly a result of a leak at a nearby fuel station.

As tap water is not available for all local households, many use well water for cooking and farming, particularly when there are drought conditions.

Nguyễn Văn Tuyền, head of the Water Resource Section under Đắk Lắk Province’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said test results released last September showed water from local wells was contaminated with excessive level of oil.

Early last month, the provincial People’s Committee asked relevant agencies to examine underground fuel tanks of Hoàng Vũ Filling Station, which is some 150m from the polluted area, Tuyền said.

Chairman of Ea Tu Commune People’s Committee Nguyễn Hữu Vượng said these polluted wells faced high risk of fire.

The committee gave local families five fire extinguishers, warned people against using pumping machines to pump water from the polluted wells and asked them not to use the contaminated water for cooking and drinking. — VNS