Shanghai residents are being urged to conserve water this week as the water supply from the Yangtze River will decrease because of a salt tide hitting the river mouth.

The tide, which arrived on February 12, will last another five to six days, the water authority said yesterday.

The supply from the river will be reduced to 1.3 million cubic meters a day from 1.6 million cubic meters. The water mainly goes to the districts of Baoshan, Putuo and parts of Pudong New Area and the supply may be affected at peak times, the Shanghai Water Bureau said.

Water in local reservoirs will make up for the shortage during the period. And the bureau will limit water usage in high-energy-consuming factories if necessary, officials said.

"Now the water level at the Chenhang Reservoir is about 5 meters, which is relatively adequate for the city over this period," said Chen Yuanming, director of the bureau's water supply department. "But we still hope people will conserve water."

The Baosteel Reservoir in Baoshan District will provide no less than 300,000 cubic meters to the Chenhang Reservoir daily, and 150,000 cubic meters a day will be transported from Yangshupu Water Plant in Yangpu District to Pudong.

(Shanghai Daily February 19, 2009)