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Shanghai combats dirty water (03/15/2000)

SHANGHAI: The city, which has a major water pollution problem, is working to create a better water environment to match its position as an international metropolis.

The city has spent 11.2 billion yuan (US$1.35 billion) on building a flood control system over the past 50 years to keep the people in the city safe. But it hasn't stopped sewage from flowing into rivers.

"A large amount of sewage, still discharged unbridledly, has made rivers foul and disgusting," said Wang Songnian, deputy director of the Shanghai Water Conservation Bureau.

Currently, the city generates 7.7 million cubic metres of sewage daily with quite a big portion discharged directly into rivers.

The result is that 92.7 per cent of rivers are contaminated, exceeding the nation's average of 82 per cent.

"The poor water quality is a hazard to people's health and will affect the city's development," he said.

The city gets an abundance of water annually, but much of it flows away without being used to improve the water quality, Wang said.

At the same time, a large amount of sewage is being discharged, contaminating the rivers.

The municipal government has placed great importance on the pollution problem and has started many sewage treatment projects.

By the end of this year, the city will complete 194 projects designed to improve the local water environment.

"But removing the problem will be a long-term task," Wang said. The city will launch a campaign to respond to the world's Water Day set by the United Nations on March 22.

The week-long campaign, with the theme of creating a safe, comfortable and beautiful water environment, aims to get people to help fight water contamination.

"An unfavourable water environment will hinder the city's efforts to achieve sustainable development," Wang said.

The latest survey of local water resources has showed that the city is witnessing a daily decrease of water space in rivers, ponds and lakes.

It said 67 square kilometres of water space, or 10 per cent of the city's total, have been lost due to property and industrial development. Four urban districts of Luwan, Jing'an, Huangpu and Nanshi now have no water space.

The city should make a common effort to stop the decrease so that people can have better living conditions, Wang said.

Wang said the bureau has worked out plans to divert water from the Yangtze River and the Huangpu River into urban rivers to help improve water quality.

Copyright 2000 By China Daily Information. All rights reserved.

http://chinadaily.com.cn.net/cover/storydb/2000/03/15/cnshang.315.html

-- (Dee360Degree@aol.com), March 15, 2000