Society

Water supplies suspended after contamination in S China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-24 06:38

GUANGZHOU/CHANGSHA - Authorities briefly suspended water supplies to a southern China town over the weekend after industrial wastes entered a river that forms part of the town's drinking water sources.

But the water supplies to Xiushui Township, Lechang City, had resumed after the contamination was brought under control, officials with the environmental protection bureau of Guangdong Province said Monday.

About 12,000 cubic meters of sludge was discharged between August 14 and August 20 out of a coal mine in the neighboring Hunan Province into the Liaosi River that flows into Guangdong, raising contamination fears, officials said.

Previous reports said fishes died after fishing bonds were polluted and farmlands were also damaged. Water supplies to 2,000 people of the 893 households in Lechang were disrupted.

Local environmental officials said they had cleaned the supply channels and stepped up monitoring efforts before restoring the service.

Water quality tests conducted by Lechang environmental protection bureau on Monday show the water is safe to drink.

Meanwhile, authorities in Yizhang County, Hunan, where the mine is located, said they would investigate the case and bring those responsible to justice.