The quality of the water at northwest China's Xinlicheng
reservoir, which was hit by an outbreak of blue algae, is getting
worse, an expert said yesterday.
Zhang Junxian, director of the local environmental protection
bureau, said what was needed now, was heavy rains and cooler
weather.
In response to his comments, the local meteorological department
yesterday fired rainmaking rockets into the air above the polluted
reservoir in a bid to spur a downpour.
Authorities in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, stopped drawing water from the
polluted reservoir on Tuesday and are instead using Shitoukoumen
reservoir, which has not been affected by the algae outbreak.
The city uses an average of 770,000 tons of water per day.
However, with the closure of the Xinlicheng reservoir, the daily
supply in certain areas has been cut by 40,000 to 60,000 tons.
To meet the shortfall, the local government is to spend 10
million yuan ($1.3 million) on the construction of a new pipeline
to carry water from Shitoukoumen reservoir to the western part of
the city, as well as continuing to transport water to stricken
areas by fire engine.
The new pipeline is scheduled to open within a week.
Changchun Mayor Cui Jie said the city government will do
everything it can to ensure residents have potable water, while
places that use large volumes, such as public baths and car washes,
might be asked to temporarily close.
In Jinjiang, a community of more than 930 households hard-hit by
the algae outbreak, the fire brigade has filled a 1,400-ton storage
tank, which is sufficient to supply residents for at least three
days.
The blue algae first began to appear in Xinlicheng reservoir on
July 5. The outbreak might have been caused by contamination from
fertilizers and pesticides used on nearby cropland, Zhang said.
The recent hot weather and low rainfall since June might also
have contributed to the bloom, he said.
(China Daily July 19, 2007)
