Efforts by the city's water authority to combat a salt tide flowing into the Yangtze River have failed as a local reservoir hit a record low level yesterday.

According to Shanghai Water Authority, Chenhang Reservoir - which supplies six local water plants that account for about 20 percent of the city's drinking water - was at a level that raised concern.

Officials refused to reveal the exact level, only saying it had declined by about 40 percent from its usual level.

The reservoir's supply has been reduced to 700,000 cubic meters daily, a fall of 600,000 cubic meters below its full capacity.

The water is kept in a reservoir for about a week to have impurities filtered out before it is sent to water treatment plants.

On February 25 when efforts to fight against the tide began, the supply was around 1 million cubic meters.

Since then, about 100,000 cubic meters of fresh water has been transferred to Chenhang daily from the Bao Steel Reservoir to ensure a source water supply based on an emergency contract.

Bao Steel Reservoir previously only supplied water to some residential and industrial users in the Bao Steel complex in Baoshan District.

But the emergency supply, which will be maintained until the tide ebbs, is not enough.

With its lack of source water, Shanghai Waterworks Shibei Co has turned to Shanghai Waterworks South Co for help.

Waterworks South Co said yesterday it was transferring about 80,000 cubic meters of tap water daily to Waterworks Shibei Co to ensure its supply to its 4 million customers.

Yu Xiao, Waterworks South spokesman, explained the current salt tide had lasted longer than previous years.

"The East China Sea pushes inland due to its higher level than the Yangtze at this time each year," he said.

(People's Daily March 4, 2004)