Pollution in Dongjiang river: Chinese officials ‘not aware’ of source of chemicals and 'may consider monitoring levels'
Chinese authorities may consider monitoring PFC levels, say water quality advisors
Chinese officials are “not aware” of any manufacturing activity that may have discharged harmful perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) into the Dongjiang river but may consider monitoring their levels, Hong Kong government water quality advisors say.
Chan Hon-fai, who chairs the Water Supplies Department’s advisory committee on water resources and the quality of supplies, said his group had conveyed concerns to officials in Huizhou during a one-and-a-half day visit to Dongjiang water supply facilities across Guangdong province earlier this week.
“We have conveyed our message to officials in China. Honestly, they have no knowledge of PFC and haven’t done anything yet,” he said. “They have taken our concerns and will try to investigate whether they will incorporate taking PFC into their monitoring plan.”
READ MORE: Hong Kong’s five biggest drinking water reservoirs found to contain harmful chemicals
Research by Greenpeace this year found traces of the harmful chemical compound – which can weaken immune systems and even lead to cancer – in Hong Kong’s five biggest drinking water reservoirs. Chan said public concern was understandable but the levels measured were still “quite low”.
Meanwhile, average levels of total phosphorus and nitrate – which usually get into waterways as a result of agricultural run-off – saw a significant rise between October 2014 and September 2015 at Hong Kong’s Muk Wu Pumping Station, which receives water from Shenzhen Reservoir.
Committee member Dr Richard Cheung Yun-hing, an associate professor at City University’s biology and chemistry department, said one reason for the increase could have been heavy rains this summer that forced stormwater to be released from the Shawan River sewage interception plant into Shenzhen Reservoir.
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“It’s an unavoidable situation ... as there is a need to safeguard lives and private property, they must release the stormwater into the reservoir,” said Cheung. “The WSD is able to ensure water is up to drinking standards.”
Water pollution expert Professor Ho Kin-chung said pollution from surface run-off and soil erosion has been getting more serious in the region. “Overabunddance of phosphorus and nitrogen in the river stimulates algal blooms at sea, and this then becomes an ecological problem.”
Up to 80 per cent of the city’s fresh water is drawn from the Dongjiang.
