Shanghai will adopt new measures, such as building more sluice gates in suburban areas and collecting sewage misdirected into rainwater pipes, in a bid to "prevent the improved water in Suzhou Creek from being polluted again."

While the creek has been free of dark water and stench since the completion of the multibillion-yuan first-phase clean-up project at the end of last year, household garbage carelessly discarded into its suburban tributaries pose a new risk to the waterway's environment.

In addition, sewage flowing into its mainstream through rainwater pipes in downtown areas adds to the creek's pollution woes, the Suzhou Creek Rehabilitation Head Office said yesterday.

"With tap water gaining popularity in the suburbs, local farmers no longer drink water from nearby water-ways. As a result, they just discard garbage into the small creeks, which connect with the tributaries of Suzhou Creek," said Huang Jianzhi, the office's vice director.

Since it's costly to install sewage pipes for households that are sparsely spread out in the suburbs, the office will build small-scale sluices at waterway conjunctions, where sewage can be collected and sent to sewage treatment plants.

Special pools will be built to gather sewage mistakenly discharged into pipes normally used for collecting rainwater, officials said.

The city has two separate pipeline networks for rainwater and sewage, with sewage pipes connecting to treatment plants and rain pipes flowing into the creek.

There are various reasons why sewage gets mixed with rainwater.

For instance, the pipes on balconies are used for collecting rainwater, but most local residents like to wash clothes there and unwittingly discharge sewage into such pipes.

"Sewage full of washing powder can flow into the creek, posing a risk to the environment," said Shen Xiaosu, general manager of the Suzhou Creek Rehabilita-tion and Construction Co.

Some roadside restaurants and car-wash stalls also discharge sewage into rain spouts on streets, he added.

(eastday.com June 12, 2003)