Subfreezing temperatures are slowing the speed of the pollution stretch on northeast China's Songhua River but the pollutant density is still high, said the Environmental Protection Bureau of Heilongjiang Province.
In a news release yesterday, the bureau said the river is now frozen over in parts, and this is slowing the passing of the chemicals, chiefly composed of nitrobenzene.
As of yesterday afternoon, the 150-kilometer pollution stretch was lingering near Tonghe County.
The peak of pollution stretch was detected close to the Mulan monitoring post with the nitrobenzene density 27.47 times above the standard at 4am yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Tonghe monitoring post at the lower reach of the river reported a nitrobenzene density of 0.1548 milligrams as of 8am yesterday, about 8.11 times above the standard, which shows a growing trend.
The stretch is expected to reach the Dalianhe Township of the Yilan County at 2am tomorrow and will arrive at Jiamusi, the second largest city on Songhua River's lower reaches, next Tuesday.
The government of Yilan County has shut down all the water-gathering channels from the Songhua River and maintains a strict polluted water disposal plan in the large enterprises that still have to use the water from the polluted river.
The county government asked all the residents of the Dalianhe Township to store water for five to seven days, for fear the water supply may be cut off when the pollution belt passes by.
The county government has also taken emergency measures to ensure a water supply of 3,500 tons every day to the township, where more than two-thirds of the residents take drinking water from the Songhua River.
Li Yizhong, head of the State Administration of Work Safety, arrived at Jiamusi yesterday to examine the city's prevention and preparation work against the incoming pollution.
The official affirmed the achievements of the cities along the Songhua River during the past days, but stressed, "It is merely a temporary triumph over the pollution."
He said the government must clearly see that the situation is still very serious for the cities at the lower reaches of the Songhua River with a stretching pollution belt and the high pollutant density.
(Xinhua)