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Polluted Water Threatens Millions of Chinese

06/01/10January 6, 2010

A huge oil spill has drawn the world's attention to the problem of China's water pollution yet again. On Dec. 30, 2009, up to 150,000 litres of diesel leaked out into the Chishui and Wei rivers. The accident was caused by a rupture in a pipeline belonging to the country's top oil producer, the China National Petroleum Corporation, which blamed a third party. On Monday, diesel from the spill reached the Yellow River.

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Many of China's rivers are polluted by industrial waste
Many of China's rivers are polluted by industrial wasteImage: AP

China is currently battling with polluted water and negative attention as well. The diesel spill reaching the Yellow River is a large concern because it is one of China's longest rivers and the source of drinking water for millions of people.

"Oil is detrimental to drinking water -- it is not safe for people to drink water contaminated by diesel,” said Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs in Beijing.

“Efforts are being made in an intensive way to contain the spreading of the diesel spill -- at this moment, one of the major reservoirs has been shut down, has stopped generating electricity in order to contain the diesel spill. Local residents along the river have been warned not to use water directly from the river."

Unfit for drinking but OK for agriculture

Water quality has reached level five in the rivers contaminated by the spill. This is the lowest level of quality in Chinese standards. According to the government, this means the water is unfit for drinking but can be used for agricultural purposes.

Pay Drechsel from the International Water Management Institute in Sri Lanka said he was “very concerned about the water situation in China.”

“This goes far beyond those accidents,” he explained. “The amount of normal domestic and industrial waste water, which is discharged into China's water bodies daily, is huge. Except for a few big cities, waste water is not properly treated before being discharged, which affects drinking water and agricultural production. The area under irrigation with polluted water or waste water is estimated today as four million hectares in China. That is by far the largest area irrigated with waste water in the world."

Water experts agree waste water and contaminated river water contain high amounts of heavy metals and chemicals. This can cause serious health issues in animals and humans who either drink the water directly or eat crops that have been irrigated with polluted water.

Waste water treatment plants not sophisticated enough

According to the International Water Management Institute, China has about 200 waste water treatment plants but even then, the majority are not sophisticated enough to deliver good treatment.

Pay Drechsel points out that most small towns in China, which have been developing rapidly in recent years, do not have any waste water treatment plants at all.

“China is making efforts to improve its water quality, by i.e. building new sewage plants. However, there are still too many factories, whose discharge cannot meet China's national standards,” says Ma Jun.

The Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs in Beijing compiles a list of China's big polluters and makes it public, thus creating awareness.

But it will take more effort. According to government data, more than 200 million people do not have access to safe drinking water. If China's cities continue to grow at the current rate, the infrastructure will have to be significantly adapted to sustain the development.

Author: Sarah Berning
Editor: Thomas Bärthlein