The Nang Cao River runs through the heart of Tonderay. Alongside the Office of Directors, the river is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, featuring in most images and films of the capital. Generations of Sabmadi people have used this iconic waterway for recreation, transport, and, after filtration, drinking and cooking water in their homes.
One of the many waterfalls along the Nang Cao river, far from Tonderay, credit: Jeremy Chong.
But it seems that decades of overuse have begun to take their toll on the mighty Nang Cao.
A new report published by the Tonderay Environmental Commission found elevated levels of a number of pollutants at several locations along the river. The most concerning include oil and exhaust from the city’s many rivercraft, as well as concerning concentrations of several heavy metals – which may be the result of contaminated runoff in the city’s rapidly growing industrial districts.
When asked whether pollution concerns could be mitigated through renovation of the city’s existing water treatment facilities, Vikas Dhebar, head of the Greater Tonderay Water Authority, noted:
To upgrade the system is simply not feasible without demolishing buildings, causing serious disruption, and investing substantial sums of money.
Despite the noncommittal response of local authorities, it seems that the TEC report has caused waves at the national level:
The Natural Environment Research Department (NERD) has launched an official investigation of several heavy industry sites near the capital to assess the precise origins of these pollutants,
said NERD Director Ludwigs in a public statement. The investigation aims to locate “the precise origins of these pollutants and the possible failure of several companies to comply with the Environmental Code.”
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