EFFECT OF THE COVID-19 ON SAIGON RIVER WATER QUALITY AND RESIDENT’S AWARENESS IN HO CHI MINH CITY

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes to the surface water and lifestyle habits of residents in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the Saigon River water and the environmental awareness of Ho Chi Minh city residents. Samples were collected from 12 locations along the Saigon River during three stages of the COVID-19 outbreak: before lockdown, during lockdown, and after restrictions were lifted. The analysis showed that the physicochemical parameters (excluding DO) and heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Fe) in the Saigon River water decreased by more than 80.0% during the lockdown, meeting the requirements of QCVN08:2023/BTNMT (level B), but increased again after the restrictions were lifted, reaching pre-lockdown levels. Simultaneously, a survey was conducted to assess the knowledge and environmental awareness of Ho Chi Minh city residents regarding the impact of COVID-19. A total of 630 valid responses were collected. The results revealed that over 60% of the participants identified waste, domestic, and industrial wastewater as the main sources of water pollution in the Saigon River. Hence, it is crucial to enhance residents’ awareness to foster behaviors that can minimize water pollution and improve the water quality of the river.