Water supplies to 200,000 people in eastern China were cut for 40 hours due to groundwater pollution, allegedly from chemical plants, state media reported Wednesday.

Taps ran dry from Monday to Wednesday in Shuyang, a city in Jiangsu province where a massive outbreak of blue-green algae forced the shut-off of water supplies to about 5 million people in another city, Wuxi, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

The residential water supply from the Xinyi River had an unusual smell and was found to have levels of ammonia nitrogen far above national standards, the China Business News paper reported. [Full Text]

* All that exaggerated talk of the advances in economic development day in and day out turns out to be paid for by sacrificing the environment. So very stupid.

* What do they mean by “upstream Xinyi River unknown source of pollution”? 200,000 people are without water to drink, is it not evident? “The ammonia nitrogen content in the water is about 28 milligrams per liter, far exceeding the limits set by the national water quality standards.” What exactly is the limit according to the national water quality standards? By how much does the river water exceed it? This doesn’t count as a news report– even the data is ambiguous. Or do they fear that some departments will be exposed ????!!!!

*Some information is distorted! The point of access to the water at noon on July 2 obviously had 30 something milligrams of ammonia nitrogen but was said to have 20 something milligrams. The city obviously had only 20 something spare wells but was said to have more than 30! The unusual smell coming from the water had obviously been present since the morning but was said to have appeared in the afternoon. Sorrowful! Sorrowful!

*Seeing this news breaks my heart! I am from Shuyang myself. Recalling 10 years ago, the Huai River water was clear, the Yihe River water flowed close to the city. There was not a hint of pollution. One could wash clothes in the river water, even use it to wash rice. Going home during this year’s Spring Festival, I noticed that in some places the water has turned yellow, because of the chemical factories. The governmental department’s viewpoint is: Rather die from being poisoned than die from being poor. Who knows what kind of consequences will result from such shortsighted behavior! For the sake of our tomorrow, protect the environment, and I hope that the governmental department will treat it with enough seriousness!

Read also Xinhua’s latest report: Water supply resumes in E. China city, via China Daily.