Phan Hoai Minh, deputy of the company, said that the move was intended to reduce the water level in the city’s lakes, ponds and rivers during the rainy season, including West Lake.

To Lich River

Minh added that at present the water level of the West Lake was around 25 centimetres higher than regulated. Pumping is expected to last two days.

The water would also help ease the pollution of To Lich River, Minh noted.

Hanoi is now using several methods to revive To Lich River, including Japanese and German technologies. Initially, this brought quite positive results as the river water’s oxygen content has increased.

Meanwhile, the company has also proposed the city to pump the Red River’s water into West Lake and then discharge the lake into To Lich River.