The water quality of Beijiang River has been restored to safe drinking standards as of Tuesday, three weeks after the river in south China was polluted by excessive cadmium discharge from smelting works on December 15, 2005, a local environmental authority said.

An examination showed that cadmium densities in the entire watercourse in Guangdong Province dropped to within the national standard of 0.01mg/L, a safe level for drinking water, according to the provincial environmental protection bureau.

Guangdong has taken various measures, including closing 14 smelting works, adding iron or aluminium polymer into the river to induce cadmium sedimentation.

Environment protection experts will continue to monitor the water quality of the river.

Cadmium, a soft, bluish-white metallic element occurring primarily in zinc, copper and lead ores, can cause liver and kidney damage and lead to bone diseases if ingested.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2006)