WUXI-- The water from tap water supply companies in east China's Wuxi city
has become normal Sunday afternoon, ending a water crisis caused by the bloom of
blue-green algae which polluted the city's water source.
Workers from the Wuxi tap water
company collect blue-green algae in a water source area in Taihu Lake, in
the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, Thursday, May 31,
2007. [Xinhua]
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The quality of water from all
tap water companies in Wuxi is stable and has met the standards for drinking
water, said the local health authorities.
But urban residents in Wuxi, with a population of two million, still depend
on bottled water for cooking and drinking as certain polluted water still
remains in transmission pipes, they said, calling for residents to let the
remaining water out for clean tap water.
Tap water supply for the city began to be halted on May 22, when its major
source -- the Taihu Lake, started to stink with a blue-green algae bloom, an
increase in the number of algal cells to a point where they discolor the water,
form scum, produce unpleasant tastes and odors, affect shellfish and fish
populations or otherwise create a nuisance and seriously reduce water quality.
Experts finally succeeded in dispelling the stench produced by the blue-green
algae at Taihu Lake with potassium permanganate, an oxidant. Workers also added
active carbon powder at treatment plants.
Water was also diverted from the Yangtze River to dilute the lake water.
The health authorities will continue to monitor the water quality in the next
few days to ensure its safety for drinking, according to the Wuxi health bureau.
Taihu Lake, which was once a a scenic attraction famous for its aquatic life,
including white bait, shrimps, lily and water chestnuts, has been heavily
polluted as a result of industry, agriculture and domestic waste.
The Wuxi city government said it has decided to strengthen efforts in
treating the lake's pollution after the algae-pollution
crisis.