A water pollution incident was reported Friday in Sanchajiang
River, of Wuchuan City in Guangdong Province, posing a threat to the
safety of drinking water for nearly 40,000 people.?
Large quantities of dead fish were found in eight ponds of a
fish farm at Lingtou Village in Changqi Township, confirmed the
business owner, surnamed Pan. Nearby townships also
reported?large numbers of dead fish and cases of livestock
being poisoned.?
According to the local government the polluted area was about
eight kilometers in length. Water in the polluted areas turned
brown.?
The pollution has affected the lives of 40,000 people. The local
government ordered waterworks in the polluted areas to stop taking
water from the river and urged all local markets not sell aquatic
products.?
So far hospitals in Wuchuan City have not received any cases of
poisoning. .
Preliminary investigation suggests the pollutants were illegally
discharged by an upstream enterprise, according to the Wuchuan city
environmental protection bureau.
(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2006)