China Water: June 14, 2008: Chongqing water switches to reserve water supply..

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Peter Huston
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http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200806/20080613/article_363070.htm


Water supply swapped after quake lake runoff

Source: Xinhua | 2008-6-13 | NEWSPAPER EDITION

A COUNTY seat with more than 100,000 residents has stopped drawing water from its original Fujiang River source with the arrival of the runoff from the main Tangjiashan "quake lake."

Tongliang County in Chongqing Municipality has resorted to two standby reservoirs. They contain more than 20 million cubic meters of water and can ensure supply for three months, said Zhao Wuqiang, a local government publicity official.

The runoff from Tangjiashan, laden with mud, sand and flotsam, arrived at the county at 11:30pm on Wednesday and raised the water level in the Fujiang River by 2 meters.

It proved difficult for the local water plant to purify but the pollution was not serious, Zhao added. He said Tongliang officials would keep a close eye on water quality and would resume drawing supplies if the river returned to its original state.

The Chongqing environmental protection bureau said the quake lake's outflow did not affect water quality in the Fujiang and Jialingjiang rivers. Water from the two rivers was still suitable for drinking as of 10am yesterday.

Suspended

Waterworks in Mianyang City suspended intakes from the Fujiang River on Tuesday night but resumed at 10pm on Wednesday.

The drained water flooded quake-ravaged Beichuan County, then safely passed Mianyang on the Fujiang River on Tuesday, and arrived at Tongnan County, in Chongqing Municipality, at 5:30pm on Wednesday.

The lake's outflow caused the flooding of a few farms and houses on the river bank in nine towns downstream. However, the combined flooded area was limited because the runoff was under control.

A total of 330 hectares of farmland and 499 houses in six towns in Jiangyou City were flooded. Figures for the other three towns were not immediately available. Epidemic prevention personnel yesterday began sanitizing the flooded areas. Local residents whose houses were flooded were told not to return.