The Earth Times
February 23, 2009

Water service resumed Monday after more than 1 million people in the eastern Chinese city of Yancheng went without tap water for three days when a river was polluted with a toxic chemical. The owner and manager of the Biaoxin Chemical Co were arrested after an unknown amount of carbolic acid was released into the Mangshe River, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The three water-treatment plants for the city of 1.5 million people were functioning normally for the most part but pressure in the waterlines could only be raised slowly, a city government spokesman said by telephone.

Residents living on the top floors of high-rise buildings would have to wait somewhat longer before water would flow again through their faucets, he said.

The spill was discovered Friday when workers in two of the city’s three water plants noticed a strange odor.

When testing confirmed the presence of the toxin in the water, the two plants were shut down.