Towns told not to use tap water
By Zhang Xuanchen and Tom Qian |
June 8, 2011, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
RESIDENTS in two towns in an east China city have been warned not to drink tap water until at least tomorrow, after a major water source was polluted by industrial waste.
The local environment protection bureau of Yuhang District in Hangzhou City, capital of Zhejiang Province, said it detected 10 types of abnormal organic substances - including benzene and alkene - in tap water on Monday. These were being tested to see if they pose a danger to human health.
It is believed the pollution came from an industrial park in Lin'an City in the upper reaches of the Tiaoxi River.
Yuhang District, with a population of 848,400, is now getting its tap water from Hangzhou Water Works Group, a bureau official said.
Water supplies, however, were disrupted in Pingyao and Liangzhu, two towns closest to the polluted water source. The local government has sent water wagons to distribute drinking water and schools and kindergartens are to close for three days.
The officials said the upstream factories had been told to stop discharging waste and a reservoir had let out more water to dilute pollution.
"We've launched round-the-clock surveillance of water quality and will keep the public posted," he said.
Meanwhile, authorities of Hangzhou yesterday said the water supply in downtown districts is back to normal after a toxic chemical spilled into the Xin'an River, following a road accident.
The Hangzhou Environmental Protection Bureau said water plants in the towns of Fuyang and Tonglu started drawing water from the river again last night after tests showed it was safe.
A tanker was hit by a truck on Saturday night and heavy rains washed 20 tons of carbolic acid into the Xin'an. Water plants stopped drawing water from the river, triggering panic-buying of bottled water.
The local environment protection bureau of Yuhang District in Hangzhou City, capital of Zhejiang Province, said it detected 10 types of abnormal organic substances - including benzene and alkene - in tap water on Monday. These were being tested to see if they pose a danger to human health.
It is believed the pollution came from an industrial park in Lin'an City in the upper reaches of the Tiaoxi River.
Yuhang District, with a population of 848,400, is now getting its tap water from Hangzhou Water Works Group, a bureau official said.
Water supplies, however, were disrupted in Pingyao and Liangzhu, two towns closest to the polluted water source. The local government has sent water wagons to distribute drinking water and schools and kindergartens are to close for three days.
The officials said the upstream factories had been told to stop discharging waste and a reservoir had let out more water to dilute pollution.
"We've launched round-the-clock surveillance of water quality and will keep the public posted," he said.
Meanwhile, authorities of Hangzhou yesterday said the water supply in downtown districts is back to normal after a toxic chemical spilled into the Xin'an River, following a road accident.
The Hangzhou Environmental Protection Bureau said water plants in the towns of Fuyang and Tonglu started drawing water from the river again last night after tests showed it was safe.
A tanker was hit by a truck on Saturday night and heavy rains washed 20 tons of carbolic acid into the Xin'an. Water plants stopped drawing water from the river, triggering panic-buying of bottled water.
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