Rescue & Aid

Drinking water safe in quake zone

By HU YONGQI (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-04-27 07:29

Water monitoring authorities in Qinghai province said water in the quake-hit area is safe to drink.

Ren Jie, director of the monitoring department with the provincial bureau of environment protection, said on Monday that organic pollutants, nitrogen, toxic elements and electrical conductivity in the water are at safe levels.

Water conductivity is an important test for heavy metal, which is generally harmful to health, Ren said.

Ren said due to the low temperatures and little industrialization, the possibility of an outbreak of infectious disease is small.

Securing clean water in the quake-hit region is the priority for environmental protection, said Zhao Haoming, chief of the department of environmental protection in Qinghai.

The team will continue to monitor water quality and garbage in the quake-hit zone to ensure residents' safety.

From April 15 to 21, the 11-person team sampled six water sources twice a day, and after April 22 the check was done once a day, Ren said.

A lab was established 90 km away from Gyegu town of Yushu, the epicenter of the quake.