Shanghai was hit by the first salt tide of the year on Saturday,
but tap water remains safe, the municipal water authorities
announced yesterday.
The water sample taken on Friday at the metropolis' drinking
water intake station at Chenhang reservoir in the Yangtze River
Delta revealed a chloride concentration of over 250 mg per liter of
water, which is above the recommended water salinity level.
Reservoirs supplying water to the coastal city had taken steps
to cope with a potential salinity crisis by maintaining high water
levels in January.
Shanghai's daily water consumption reached 6.83 million cubic
meters during the
Spring Festival, a little lower than the typical amount since
many local residents had traveled out of the city and industrial
production slowed down during the week-long holiday.
The reduction in water consumption also helped to ease the
pressure of maintaining clean water supplies during the salt tide,
the water authorities said.
(Xinhua News Agency February 7, 2006)