An Khe Hydropower Plant Killing Ba River

Thousands of households in An Khe town of Gia Lai province live on the water from Ba River but much of it is used by the An Khe hydropower plant. The analysis of the water sample taken from Ba River showed that the quality of the water was not good. The Ba section river which runs across Gia Lai is turning into a ‘dead river’ since the An Khe – Ka Nak hydropower plant began operation. It is becoming depleted as the plant stores water on the upper course to generate electricity. It is also polluted by the waste water discharged from tens of workshops and factories. An Khe is designed to use water from Ba River to generate electricity, but discharge water to the Kon River. As a result, Ba River has no more clean water for thousands of local households. Meanwhile, it has to receive dirty water from factories and household-run production workshops. It also receives waste water from the cow farm owned by Gia Lai Animal Husbandry JSC. (VietNamNet Jan 5)