High levels of aniline found in Hebei water supply

Excessive levels of aniline have been found in the water supply of a village in Hebei province, which attracted national attention recently after the supply was turned red by pollution from a nearby chemical plant.

Levels of aniline, or phenylamine, in water taken from a chicken farm well in Xiaozhuzhuang village in Cangxian county, were found to have reached 7.33 milligrams per liter, the Yanzhao Metropolis Daily reported on Monday, that's 73 times higher than the national standard of 0.1 milligram per liter.

At least 700 chickens have been killed after drinking the polluted red water since November. Residents have been buying bottled water for their daily use.

The paper said local authorities are yet to announce how they plan to solve the water problems.

Hebei Jianxin Chemicals, the company identified as being responsible for discharge, has started moving its manufacturing operations.

Its Cangxian county branch was closed after a sulfur trioxide leak in 2011.

The company issued a public apology on Friday.

The local head of the environmental protection bureau was forced to step down due to his inappropriate response to the situation.