The nine-year-long cleanup of the polluted Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canalin HCM City is set to be completed in the next four months, with wastewater no longer flowing into it and its banks turning green.

Oncethe work is completed in December, the wastewater and rain water in thebasin will be collected at a pumping station, treated, and releasedinto the Sai Gon River through a system of pumps.

In a later phase, the waste water will be treated at the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe waste water treatment plant in District 2.

Witha culvert system of around 132,000m installed in the basin, the projectis expected to reduce flooding in Districts 1, 3, 10, Phu Nhuan, TanBinh, Binh Thanh, and Go Vap.

By September 2, 649m more of culverts are expected to be built.

TruongSa and Hoang Sa roads that run along the canal have been expanded,fencing completed, saplings planted, and wide pavements laid.

Similar works are being done on several roads running along the canal.

According to the project management board, the fencing and lighting work and tree planting will be completed by December.

Housesthat had been illegally built along the canal banks in many places havebeen removed to make way for the pavements and trees.

Theproject began in 2002 and has cost 316 million USD, which has beenborrowed from the World Bank. It is expected to act as a template forcleaning up other polluted canals around the city./.