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Officials battling Xiangjiang River pollution
By Fu Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-01-11 05:47
ZHUZHOU, Hunan Province: Toxic chemicals continue to threaten the safety of
drinking water in the downstream regions of the Xiangjiang River, said local
environmental officials.
After nearly a week of clean-up efforts, data still shows a level of cadmium
still over the safety standards in certain areas, said Qu Lili, deputy head of
environmental bureau in the downstream city of Xiangtan.
But Qu ruled out the media report that claimed cadmium levels of tap water in
the city had surpassed the national safety standard two days after the spill.
"It's true that our water resources have been polluted, but our tap water has
remained clean due to emergency chemical treatment," Qu said.
Cadmium, an industrial chemical that can cause neurological disorders and
cancer, flooded into the Xiangjiang River during an unofficial silt-cleaning
project started on January 4.
(China Daily 01/11/2006 page2)
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