Water still clean after quake lake discharge

By Li Xinran  |   2008-6-11  |     ONLINE EDITION

WATER quality downstream the China's biggest quake-formed lake in southwestern Sichuan Province has recovered after the torrent of muddy water passed by, Xinhua news agency reported today.

A sample test yesterday showed the mud flood didn't affect the water quality in low-lying Peijiang River – the major water source to Mianyang City – which stopped its water supply from the river for 30 hours after the discharge of the lake at Tangjiashan.

Except one or two indexes bellowed the national standards for drinkable water, the river will be as clean as before in a dozen of days, Xinhua said.

People in Mianyang now use water from a backup reservoir and water supply from the river will be resumed after it meet the standards.

The crest of the flood from the lake yesterday afternoon passed safely by Mianyang, where between 300,000 and 400,000 people were left, said Tan Li, the city's Communist Party chief and also its Quake Control and Relief Headquarters head.

More than 250,000 people in low-lying areas of Mianyang have been relocated under a plan based on the assumption that one-third of the lake volume breached the dam.