Animal carcasses found in canal feeding reservoir in southern Vietnam raise water pollution concerns

The reservoir, located at the upstream section of the Saigon River, is a critical water source supplying several southern provinces and Ho Chi Minh City.

As observed by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters on December 31, numerous animal carcasses floating on Phuoc Hoa - Dau Tieng Canal were trapped in a trash screen at Minh Tan Hydropower Plant in Minh Thanh Commune, Ho Chi Minh City.

The canal carries water from Phuoc Hoa Reservoir to Dau Tieng Reservoir.

Many trapped carcasses decomposed, emitting a strong stench.

Some were repeatedly battered by fast-flowing water, accelerating decay and creating a severely unhygienic environment.

Staff at the K37 station said that the carcasses seen during the visit had accumulated over just two days, December 30 and 31.

However, they stressed that this has been a persistent problem since early 2025.

Workers have had to regularly collect and dispose of the carcasses to prevent environmental pollution and protect water quality.

Images recorded by station staff showed that at certain times, diseased pigs were carried downstream in large numbers, occasionally reaching dozens in a single day.

Each incident required urgent clean-up and disposal to prevent further contamination.

Nguyen Huu Manh, deputy director at the Dau Tieng-Phuoc Hoa branch of Southern Irrigation Management One Member Limited Liability Company, said the company had to deploy additional equipment, including a truck and an excavator, to reinforce operations at K37 station.

Extra funds were also allocated to handle the clean-up and destruction of animal carcasses trapped in the hydropower plant’s trash screen throughout the year.

“We strictly manage water quality in accordance with standards, but dealing with animal carcasses in the canal is only a temporary solution,” said Manh.

If they are not collected and destroyed in time, the risk of water pollution is very high.

“We have repeatedly worked with local authorities to prevent people from dumping waste and animal carcasses into the canal, but the problem persists,” he added.

Tran Phu Cuong, head of the livestock production and animal health division under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Environment, told Tuoi Tre on Saturday that the accumulation of waste and animal carcasses in Phuoc Hoa - Dau Tieng Canal has been going on for many years.

The canal stretches across multiple wards and communes, and waste tends to accumulate when it reaches the trash rack at Minh Tan Hydropower Plant.

Cuong said that the division had continuously proposed solutions, including coordination with local authorities and relevant agencies to strengthen monitoring and prevent illegal dumping.

His unit has also worked directly with farms along the canal, urging livestock owners to sign commitments not to discard waste or animal carcasses into the environment.

“The canal is long, and no single force can monitor it completely,” Cuong said.

“This issue ultimately comes down to public awareness and requires stronger involvement from local authorities, police and other agencies.

“There must be stricter supervision and penalties. If this continues, domestic water supplies will be affected and livestock diseases could spread to other areas."

A veterinary expert warned that dumping animal carcasses into waterways is a long-standing but dangerous practice that must be eliminated.

In cases such as African swine fever, infected carcasses carried by water can spread disease to farms downstream, causing severe economic losses.

Current regulations require strict procedures for the disposal and disinfection of livestock and poultry that die from disease.

Dumping carcasses into the environment is a violation of the law, the expert said.

Offenders shall face administrative fines or even criminal charges depending on the severity of the violation.