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City pledge on salty tap water
By Zhao Wen and Jia Feishang |
May 26, 2011, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
LOCAL water authority will send fresh water to communities where tap water is found to be undrinkable due to pollution caused by the ongoing salt tide, officials announced yesterday.
As most of the city's reservoirs have been affected by the salt tide, emergency plans and solutions are being prepared to counter the water pollution and likely shortage.
Meng Mingqun, an official with the Shanghai Water Authority, said if residents found their tap water too salty or faced a shortage, they could dial a hotline, 962740, for help. The water company will then send sprinklers and fire engines to deliver drinking water to their neighborhoods.
"Although an extreme situation is very unlikely, we have urged reservoirs and tap companies to be alert," Meng said.
The water supply in most downtown areas is expected to stay clear of the ongoing salt tide, which has been triggered by the severe drought along the Yangtze River, though residents in some areas like Putuo District are likely to find their tap water salty.
Experts, however, pointed out that the slightly salty water poses no harm to human health.
Meanwhile, Zhao Pingwei, a senior engineer with the Shanghai Municipal Control and Monitor Center of Water Supply, said the new Qingcaosha Reservoir on the Yangtze River, built between downtown Shanghai and Chongming Island, is now able to prolong water storage for up to 68 days since its completion last year.
"The current tap water supply is sufficient," Zhao revealed.
The city's tap water system is able to provide 10.48 million cubic meters of water a day, and the daily maximum water usage in 2010 was 9.88 million cubic meters.
While the salt tide is unlikely to last more than the earlier estimated nine days, the drought in central China, which has seriously affected Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces, shows no signs of abating.
As most of the city's reservoirs have been affected by the salt tide, emergency plans and solutions are being prepared to counter the water pollution and likely shortage.
Meng Mingqun, an official with the Shanghai Water Authority, said if residents found their tap water too salty or faced a shortage, they could dial a hotline, 962740, for help. The water company will then send sprinklers and fire engines to deliver drinking water to their neighborhoods.
"Although an extreme situation is very unlikely, we have urged reservoirs and tap companies to be alert," Meng said.
The water supply in most downtown areas is expected to stay clear of the ongoing salt tide, which has been triggered by the severe drought along the Yangtze River, though residents in some areas like Putuo District are likely to find their tap water salty.
Experts, however, pointed out that the slightly salty water poses no harm to human health.
Meanwhile, Zhao Pingwei, a senior engineer with the Shanghai Municipal Control and Monitor Center of Water Supply, said the new Qingcaosha Reservoir on the Yangtze River, built between downtown Shanghai and Chongming Island, is now able to prolong water storage for up to 68 days since its completion last year.
"The current tap water supply is sufficient," Zhao revealed.
The city's tap water system is able to provide 10.48 million cubic meters of water a day, and the daily maximum water usage in 2010 was 9.88 million cubic meters.
While the salt tide is unlikely to last more than the earlier estimated nine days, the drought in central China, which has seriously affected Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces, shows no signs of abating.
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