City acts to stop threat of algae pollution

By Chen Qian  |   2008-6-18  |     ONLINE EDITION

THE city's water authority has spread activated carbon powder at four fresh water intakes along the Huangpu River to remove pollution caused by algae, Shanghai Morning Post reported today.

The growth of algae increases during the hot summer and pollutes the water. Minhang No. 2 Water Plant and three others all put activated carbon powder in their intakes to purify water. Songpu Water Plant, which intakes more water than the others, is now installing the equipment to do the same, the report said.

In addition to the activated carbon powder, ecological and biological treatment of algae has been taking place in Chenhang reservoir for two years with the guidance of experts from Fudan University, according to the report.

No outbreak of algae has been record in Shanghai's reservoirs.

About 70 percent of the Huangpu River's water comes from the Taipu River, which links the Huangpu and East Taihu Lake. The rest of the Huangpu's water comes from Pinghu and Jiabei lakes in Zhejiang Province.

Lakes from Zhejiang always bring sewage into the Huangpu River during the rainy season and greatly affect the water quality along the upper reaches.

The outbreak of blue algae in north Taihu Lake didn't affect the intakes of the Huangpu. Algae have already appeared in the west, north and south parts of the lake this year.