The Huaihe River, the third longest river in China which is
experiencing the dry season, could face an outbreak of pollution if
no proper measures were taken immediately, the country's
environment watchdog has warned.
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In a quarterly report on Huaihe' water quality, the State Environmental
Protection Administration (SEPA) said that in the fourth
quarter last year, the water flow in the river reduced by 70
percent as compared with the same period of the previous
year.
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In July last year, surging water caused by rainstorms in the upper
reaches brought to the mainstream 400 tons of pollutants that had
accumulated in the dry season, forming a 133 kilometer-long belt of
inky water that killed whatever aquatic beings on the way.
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"The Huaihe River has now entered the dry season, and we face a
tough job in preventing an outbreak of pollution," said a SEPA
official.
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He asked localities along the river to properly distribute water
resources and make full use of water treatment plants to reduce
pollutants discharged into the river.
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According to the SEPA report, the water quality in the mainstream
of Huaihe remained basically unchanged, however, three of the eight
tributaries of Huaihe witnessed an increase of pollutants,
especially in Hongru and Yinghe rivers which run through Henan
Province, central China.
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The SEPA has asked Henan to take effective measures to check the
pollution.
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The 1,000-meter Huaihe River, which runs from central China to the
east between the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, is one of the most
polluted rivers in the country.?
(Xinhua News Agency February 9, 2005)