Toxic spill threatens Chinese water

BEIJING, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- A cadmium spill in the Longjiang River in southern China threatens the freshwater water supply for millions of residents.

The spill is thought to have originated in the upstream city of Hechi, one of China's most important mineral producers, some time before Jan. 15, but wasn't reported until nearly two weeks later when hundreds of dead fish surfaced in the river.

Cadmium, a heavy metal used in the production of batteries, paint and solar cells is a known carcinogen that can also damage the lungs and kidneys.

State-run news agency Xinhua reported Tuesday that seven executives from chemical plants in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were detained in connection with the spill, citing a local official with the regional environmental protection department.

Earlier reports had said that the spill was traced to a plant owned by Guangxi Jinhe Mining Co Ltd.

Xinhua said the source of contamination was contained Saturday and as of Monday, a toxic slick stretching more than 62 miles along the Longjiang River had reached a hydroelectric station 35 miles upstream from Liuzhou in Guangxi province, threatening the water supply for its 3.2 million residents.

Workers have dumped more than 3,000 tons of neutralizers made from dissolved aluminum chloride at five key areas on the Longjiang to dissolve the contamination.

But by Monday, Hechi was running low on the substances.

Guangxi officials told Xinhua that tests conducted Monday showed cadmium levels within a 10-mile radius of the city's main water plant were slightly under the safety limit.

Zhang Jian, spokesman for the Liuzhou government, told the Guardian newspaper that as long as cadmium levels were within twice the national standard, the city could treat the water safely. But if that's not possible, he said, officials were prepared to tap a significant amount of underground supplies owned by a nearby railway.

"I promise citizens that we will not cut off water. When they turn the tap, the water will be safe to drink," he said.

Meanwhile, the spill has prompted panic buying of bottled water.

Environmentalists have called for stricter enforcement of the country's environmental regulations and more transparency in reporting of accidents when they occur.

Earlier research from the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the Ministry of Environmental Protection has shown that 320 million rural people in China still do not have access to safe drinking water, with 190 million using drinking water that contains excessive levels of hazardous substances.