Raoul's China Saloon (V5.0) Beta

The Bar Room => The Champagne Cabana => Topic started by: Bugalugs on May 31, 2007, 10:12:05 PM

Title: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on May 31, 2007, 10:12:05 PM: Due to an outbreak of blue green algae in Taihu, water in wuxi has been declared unsafe for ANYTHING. They have treated the water with Chlorine and it STINKS!!!! I cant wash my clothes or dishes in this stuff and showering is a big no no as getting it in your eyes or mouth can be dangerous.

Apparently Wuxi is the only city in the area that gets its water for Taihu, all surrounding places get there tap water from the Yangtzee (not sure of the spelling) Suzhou wont share it's water so we are all sitting tight waiting for rain and cooler temperatures to relieve the situation. Bottled water is sold out in most place and the large bottles for the water bottles are selling for around 50rmb.

The biggest problem with Taihu, apart from the pollution is the fact that it has a few inlets but no outlets, also the lake is very shallow so in the hot weather the water heats up a promotes the grow of this algae. Due to the early hot weather the government and the water company had not delt with this problem and now it is terrible so we have to wait and see what will happen.

I have been told not to eat at small restaurants cause they use tap water to clean their vegetables and cooking implements so looks like home cooking of KFC for the next few days.

Will keep you updated.

If you smell a bad smell in the corner, it's not Stil and i apologise washing with baby wipes just doesn't cut it in this weather.

So a round on me, the good stuff. agagagagag agagagagag
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: AMonk on May 31, 2007, 10:38:13 PM: aoaoaoaoao Sorry to hear your troubles. Here's to an early, speedy resolution.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on May 31, 2007, 10:46:14 PM: Pictures say a thousand words so have a look here.

http://www.wst.cn/dispbbs.asp?boardID=219&ID=600793&page=1 (http://www.wst.cn/dispbbs.asp?boardID=219&ID=600793&page=1)

Not sure what the writing says but i'm sure i can guess. aoaoaoaoao aoaoaoaoao
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on May 31, 2007, 10:50:39 PM: Of course we won't share our water with you lot. We have a lot of Scotch to chill over here on The Good End.

Don't sweat the blue-green algae, though. Is very derleecious! bfbfbfbfbf

(Sorry, babe... alalalalal)
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: babala on May 31, 2007, 10:50:56 PM: Sorry to hear it Bugs. My friend called me last night and told me the same news. Hope they fix it soon.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on May 31, 2007, 10:53:43 PM: Xie Xie you are so kind, it's ok im sure the BO will reach you guys in suzhou soon enough, the wind is blowing your way. Then you'll feel bad that you didn't share. :P

To the rest of you thanks for your kind wishes, and heres hoping i can have a shower some time soon.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: dragonsaver on May 31, 2007, 10:57:56 PM: Am I ever glad I am in Dalian and not Wuxi this year. dddddddddd Sorry for you amamamamam but yeah for me. acacacacac
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on May 31, 2007, 11:00:01 PM: Totally jealous WUXI smells SOOOO BAD right now, toilet flushing smells like chlorine which i guess is better than what it could smell like.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Stil on May 31, 2007, 11:05:13 PM: I'm sure you don't smell any different than before.

Buy as much bottled water as you can Bugs. That'll run out soon.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on May 31, 2007, 11:07:25 PM: Yeah they are bringing in even more from Shanghai and Nanjing.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on May 31, 2007, 11:20:38 PM: But NOT from Suzhou. hhhhhhhhhh

Quote
it's ok im sure the BO will reach you guys in suzhou soon enough, the wind is blowing your way. Then you'll feel bad that you didn't share.
Not at all! Just bad that YOU guys DID. aaaaaaaaaa

Funny...just 20 minutes down the the track, and it's wonderful here. Cool, cloudy and breezy with a light rain occasionally that's making everything smell fresh and new again. Oops, I left the shower running! bibibibibi
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 01, 2007, 12:34:41 AM: North and East of wuxi is not affected, will try and head somewhere for a shower, if not i'll rock up in Suzhou this week and DEMAND that they share their water.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: dragonsaver on June 01, 2007, 01:04:04 AM: I just had a horrid thought bibibibibi When I lived in Wuxi my favourite beer was Taihu shue beer. They will have to stop making the beer. No beer asasasasas asasasasas That is worse than no water llllllllll llllllllll
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on June 01, 2007, 01:44:36 AM: No worries. Taihushui is made in Suzhou. agagagagag

Quote
i'll rock up in Suzhou this week and DEMAND that they share their water.
'Bout anything can be had for a price, baby. afafafafaf

But we'll let ya have the shower first. oooooooooo
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: George on June 01, 2007, 01:47:39 AM: I feel sorry for you poor peasants in the South of China. Shandong is the place to be!! ahahahahah ahahahahah
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on June 01, 2007, 02:00:59 AM: You're right, Gerge, for a Shandonger to make fun of others for being "poor peasants" IS pretty funny! bfbfbfbfbf ahahahahah ahahahahah

But at least up there you guys can rely on the good ol' Yellow River for your water. For several more weeks, at least. uuuuuuuuuu
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: George on June 01, 2007, 02:12:02 AM: Ha!! Jinan is the " City of Springs" Our water is all underground and immeasurable. Totally drought free is Shandong! We are SO great!! ahahahahah ahahahahah
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 01, 2007, 02:14:52 AM: Then u can share some with me!!!! thanks George, this round is on YOU!!!!
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Stil on June 01, 2007, 02:18:59 AM: Dirty water in China. I tell you, the suprises just keep on comin'
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 01, 2007, 02:20:29 AM: :P:P:P i see how easy it is to laugh about this situation..............WHEN ITS NOT YOU. Its still warm and sticky here and i NEED a shower!!!
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Stil on June 01, 2007, 02:24:34 AM: We are not laughing AT you Bugs. We are laughing WITH you.

Hmmmm ok maybe a bit at you.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 01, 2007, 02:27:03 AM: cccccccccc dddddddddd would wish this on you but i don't think i would have the energy to wish it on even my WORSTEST enemy. This is horrible.

There must be something good coming for me in the future if i have to go through this now.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Vegemite on June 01, 2007, 02:41:59 AM: Quote from: Bugalugs on June 01, 2007, 02:27:03 AM
There must be something good coming for me in the future if i have to go through this now.

Ah, no... uuuuuuuuuu

But my sympathies Bugalugs - been there, done that. No water for about six weeks whilst daughter was only a six/seven year old and my then pregnant friend (with a bad case of morning sickness) was staying with us. At least we had a long-drop though and there was also the ocean to dive into at the end of each day.

See, look on the bright side, everything might stink of chlorine but at least you can still flush your loo. jjjjjjjjjj

But after a few days, you get used to not washing...and then on the weekend you can take your sweet aroma to the boys in Suzhou.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Stil on June 01, 2007, 03:18:54 AM: Think positive Bugs. Since you can't wash clothes, well it's time to go shopping!
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: George on June 01, 2007, 09:51:45 AM: .......and you can always drink beer!!
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: teleplayer on June 01, 2007, 11:42:44 AM: Bugs,
Hope the ordeal for you and the other 2.2+ million in the urban core ends soon.
George and Stil have a postive tack but new clothes don't cover up the essence _{unless you get a wet suit} and while drinking beer doesn't actually quench thirst and bathing in it would just draw flies. amamamamam

Thanks for the pictoral essay. I'll make sure these environmental engineering faculty with whom I work have them to share with those who say, "oh that could never happen to a city water supply."

BTW, it made the China Daily. An article and three pictures of no water in a market.

Algae outbreak sparks water panic
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-05/31/content_884500.htm (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-05/31/content_884500.htm)

Drinking water crisis in Wuxi
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/photo/2007-05/31/content_883810_3.htm (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/photo/2007-05/31/content_883810_3.htm)
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 02, 2007, 12:20:08 AM: Even made it on to the Radio Australia news site.

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s1939250.htm (http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s1939250.htm)

Nothing new on it but at least its making the media.
jjjjjjjjjj jjjjjjjjjj jjjjjjjjjj
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on June 02, 2007, 03:53:10 AM: And it even made a MAJOR news service, Yahoo...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070601/ap_on_re_as/china_algae (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070601/ap_on_re_as/china_algae)
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lone Traveller on June 02, 2007, 03:48:56 PM: Is there any relief in sight Bugs? And have you managed to find that ever elusive shower yet? ;)
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 02, 2007, 06:33:24 PM: It seems that the canal between the Yangtze(?) river and Taihu was open so it flooded the lake and solved the problem. I'm not entirely convinced so i am still waiting for the lovely lads down Suzhou way to allow me to use their water to shower. So far wet wipes and lots of deodorant have been the way to go.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lone Traveller on June 02, 2007, 08:29:12 PM: Quote from: Bugalugs on June 02, 2007, 06:33:24 PM
... I'm not entirely convinced so i am still waiting for the lovely lads down Suzhou way to allow me to use their water to shower. So far wet wipes and lots of deodorant have been the way to go.

Yeah. Think I'd be doing the same.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on June 02, 2007, 09:35:24 PM: Unfortunately, we talked it over here in Suzhou and decided we want nothing to do with being anywhere even near these people until after they've cleaned themselves up. uuuuuuuuuu
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: George on June 02, 2007, 09:54:34 PM: And rightly so! Those filthy foreigners should remain at home!!
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 02, 2007, 11:09:21 PM: Meanies, last time i share my Doritos with you. :P :P :P
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on June 02, 2007, 11:29:29 PM: It's OK. Suzhou has Doritos.

And water. cccccccccc
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 02, 2007, 11:34:20 PM: But suzhou doesn't have my Doritos. Nor does it have me. cbcbcbcbcb cbcbcbcbcb afafafafaf afafafafaf
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on June 02, 2007, 11:43:14 PM: Aanh, all Doritos are the same.
And I've been hearing lately that you don't smell so good. uuuuuuuuuu
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: dragonsaver on June 02, 2007, 11:45:15 PM: Raoul. I will fly down there and yodel unless you are nice to Bugalugs. asasasasas
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on June 02, 2007, 11:49:18 PM: aoaoaoaoao aoaoaoaoao aoaoaoaoao
'Nuff said.
We'll get a towel ready for ya, sweetie. bjbjbjbjbj
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 03, 2007, 12:23:07 AM: XIE XIE DS, drinks on me. agagagagag agagagagag agagagagag

NAH NAH NAH NAHHHHH

HEHEHEHEH Raoul got TOLD cccccccccc cccccccccc cccccccccc cccccccccc
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lone Traveller on June 03, 2007, 12:39:55 AM: Looks like you're about to get that long awaited shower Bugs....

(Raoul is that going to be an actual shower or the hit-em-with-the-fire-hose kind of shower?)
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on June 03, 2007, 01:46:01 AM: LT, please don't spoil our surprises... bibibibibi

Bugs, don't get uppity, baby. Never, never f#@k with Raoul. uuuuuuuuuu

Look, we all have our phobias, and this one is mine. Yodeling, and music that might inspire one to yodel, make my skin crawl. There are few things that inspire more Fear and Loathing in me... aoaoaoaoao aaaaaaaaaa bbbbbbbbbb bqbqbqbqbq ayayayayay
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lone Traveller on June 03, 2007, 01:51:15 AM: Oops. Sorry boss. oooooooooo

Don't worry Bugs. I'm sure the pressure from this "special" fire house is nowhere near that of the force from a non-"special" one. bfbfbfbfbf

It's all going to be fine. Trust me. uuuuuuuuuu
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 03, 2007, 01:58:14 AM: The only thing i can trust you to do is to cook my toastie right.

If you don't here from me by tuesday, send out the search party.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lone Traveller on June 03, 2007, 02:08:12 AM: Me toastie... you search party.... Got it. bfbfbfbfbf
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lone Traveller on June 03, 2007, 02:09:30 AM: Ummm where do you reccommend we start looking..... Storm water drains? ???

ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah ahahahahah
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on June 03, 2007, 02:12:28 AM: See...SEE how she (Bugalugs) is?!? asasasasas

Meanwhile, there are probably no fire houses or fire hoses anywhere in Suzhou. We simply do what needs to be done with a few bucketfuls of the always-at-hand, robust canal water...and sometimes possibly a wire brush and a bit of good strong carbolated soap. And a team of coolie labor. bfbfbfbfbf
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lone Traveller on June 03, 2007, 02:15:48 AM: Ouchie!
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 05, 2007, 02:44:22 AM: I'm here and i smell sweet.

Thanks for the Toastie by the way.

YUM
YUM
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: dragonsaver on June 05, 2007, 02:49:42 AM: So, did Raoul let you shower?

Did Wuxi fix the water problem??

Update please agagagagag
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 05, 2007, 03:03:26 AM: Raoul no....Con yeah.

As to the water, officialy it is usable again but not drinkable, so i don't know what the locals are doing. They seeded the clouds and opened the canal from the Yangtzee so the lake is flooded which apparently has helped. So it seems that for now the water is ok.

Thanks for the good wishes.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lone Traveller on June 05, 2007, 04:22:46 AM: Welcome back to the land of the sweet smelling Bugs....and what's the name of your Sweet Water (aka perfume)? It's positively gorgeous. acacacacac
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lotus Eater on June 05, 2007, 04:29:22 AM: 21 April New Scientist is reporting that 600kms of the Yangtze is IRREVERSIBLY polluted, and nearly 30% of major tributaries are seriously polluted. Report originated from the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology.

Was in Kaifeng the day before yesterday and the heat+lack of rain caused a water inversion - and every fish in the lake died. The smell was incredible.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lone Traveller on June 05, 2007, 06:18:52 PM: Ewwwww! aaaaaaaaaa
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on June 05, 2007, 07:16:15 PM: Quote from: Bugalugs on June 05, 2007, 03:03:26 AM
Raoul no....Con yeah.
Hey, I did offer to let her use my shower (of course while standing at a discreet and upwind distance). She refused.
I had to refund a lot of tickets that night, and my favorite DVD distributor is no longer speaking to me. asasasasas
What the hell is the world coming to? bibibibibi
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 05, 2007, 07:23:21 PM: B@ST@RD.....Meanie.

Your shower.... i never remember hearing you offer the use a shower, other things yeah but not your shower.

I do remember that you wouldn't get in the cab till i assured you that i had Indeed washed the weeks worth of hard earned sweat away.

Fingers crossed that when i get back to my flat tonight the water will be in a fit state for me to use.

CHEERS.

Todays drinks are on some one else but it's pay day tomorrow so i promise i'll make it up then.

:) :)
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 05, 2007, 11:30:17 PM: The ongoing algae bloom has resulted directly by human activities. It is by no means a natural phenomenon, nor will the problem go away by flushing the lake with Yangtze River water, or by sending one scientist from Tsinghua University. It will take months of coordination between local, provisional, and national government officials, scientists, businesses, local residents, and non-governmental organizations to identify point sources of pollution into the lake, toxicity levels at varying points and depths in the lake, and research into previous toxic-cleanup projects worldwide. No more lies, no more suffering!

This article was written (2004) before the pollution in the 3rd biggest lake in China took place on May 31st, 2007.

Cleanup of Taihu Lake an Elusive Dream -

In spite of ten years of treatment costing billions of yuan, the pollution in Taihu Lake continues to worsen. The 33.5 million people living around Taihu will probably have to wait another decade to drink clean water from the country's third-largest freshwater lake.

Covering an area of 2,400 square kilometers in east China, Taihu Lake is a major source of drinking water for people living in Shanghai and east China's Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

The Taihu Lake basin accounts for about 3 percent of the country's land area and 8 percent of its population. Historically a rich and fertile area, it has become one of the most populous and prosperous regions in the country.

But tremendous economic growth and the huge population of the area are putting the lake under increasing environmental pressure, resulting in deteriorating water quality in recent years.

During the past ten years, a number of projects have been completed to curb the flooding of Taihu Lake, Vice Minister of Water Resources Zhai Haohui said recently at a high-profile seminar in Shanghai. These projects established a framework for flood control and the utilization of water resources.

The Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) reports that the first phase of Taihu Lake projects have produced 15.8 billion yuan (US$1.9 billion) in economic benefits, two-and-a-half times the original investment.

"For example, these projects played an important role in combating the massive flooding of Taihu Lake basin in 1999, saving 9.2 billion yuan (US$1.1 billion)," said Sun Jichang, director of the MWR's Taihu Lake Basin Administration Bureau.

During the Taihu seminar held on December 3, Zhai pledged that people living in the area will be able to drink clean water from the lake by 2015.

However, experts say that the quality of the lake continues to deteriorate despite more than a decade of effort from both the central government and local authorities. Flood control standards are still low and the pollution of the lake remains serious.

The lake's environmental problems include accelerated eutrophication, or aging, caused by nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment. These materials cause an overgrowth of algae and further deterioration, including oxygen depletion. The lake is probably also contaminated with potentially toxic substances originating from increased agricultural, domestic and industrial activities.

The State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) has been closely monitoring Taihu's water quality, using 110 manned and three automatic surveillance stations scattered throughout the entire lake area.

One of the basic causes of the pollution lies in sewage treatment measures lagging far behind the rapid social and economic development of the Yangtze River delta.

In the early 1990s, experts estimated that the annual industrial sewage entering the lake would reach 540 million tons and household sewage would reach 320 million tons. Spot checks conducted in 2000 indicated that total sewage surpassed 5.3 billion tons.

According to Sun Jichang, only 30 percent of the household sewage is treated before being dumped into the lake. Gao Erkun of the MWR added that standards and treatment capacity for sewage and wastewater have not been able to meet actual requirements.

SEPA officials said by 2005, plants in the Taihu Lake region will have the capacity to treat 2.2 million tons of sewage per day, nearly 30 percent more than the 1.7 million tons per day required by the 10th Five-Year Plan (2001
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: dragonsaver on June 06, 2007, 01:56:58 AM: I shouldn't have laughed at you when you said you had no water. I have no water either, but it is just my apartment building. I am sorry I laughed at you , I really really am. Can I please have my water back acacacacac
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lone Traveller on June 06, 2007, 02:07:16 AM: Seems your evil plan is working Bugs tttttttttt
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: dragonsaver on June 06, 2007, 02:53:34 AM: Ok, back again. Only 5 hours. I can wash my dishes before my ayi comes tomorrow.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: old34 on June 06, 2007, 04:54:30 AM: Quote from: Bugalugs on June 05, 2007, 11:30:17 PM
This article was written (2004) before the pollution in the 3rd biggest lake in China took place on May 31st, 2007.

Cleanup of Taihu Lake an Elusive Dream -

In spite of ten years of treatment costing billions of yuan, the pollution in Taihu Lake continues to worsen. The 33.5 million people living around Taihu will probably have to wait another decade to drink clean water from the country's third-largest freshwater lake.

When I was living in Suzhou in 1999-2000, I remember a big push to "clean up" Taihu. The local rags mentioned that X% (can't remember the number but it was large) of polluters around the lake had been shut down and moved away. And here it is 7 years later and the problem continues to bloom.

How many years will it take, even after they stop dumping bqbqbqbqbq bqbqbqbqbq in metro water supplies?

Well, here's an article in this week's New York Magazine (out today) that sheds light on that subject:

http://nymag.com/news/features/32865/
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on June 06, 2007, 06:14:22 AM: Suzhou is at least lucky in that it doesn't draw tap water from Taihu. I think it comes from Jin Ji Hu, which is much cleaner than Taihu (at least, waterfowl can land on it without dissolving), and other sources. So we can dump stuff in Taihu for the other honyocks to drink, but still have our own sources of relatively clean water for ourselves.

Smart cookies, those Suzhounese. bfbfbfbfbf
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 06, 2007, 07:11:08 PM: asasasasas asasasasas

Looks like i will just have to move to suzhou and bug you all week, not just on weekends.

:P :P :P :P
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lone Traveller on June 06, 2007, 07:24:13 PM: Yeah... Do it! Do it! Do it!

Serves em right for being meanies. afafafafaf
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 06, 2007, 07:29:46 PM: Thanks, exactly what i was thinking....
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 06, 2007, 07:34:44 PM: From http://www.jongonews.com/articles/07/0602/16721/MTY3MjEF3C6Lv6k.html

The worst of the Wuxi water crisis appears to be over, authorities said Friday night.

The tap water in Wuxi, rendered undrinkable earlier this week by foul-smelling blue-green algae blanketing the Taihu Lake, has improved "considerably" in quality, though it may take days for a full recovery.

"Thanks to the concerted and strenuous efforts in the past few days, the water quality has improved considerably," Mao Xiaoping, mayor of Wuxi, said on Friday night.

An industrial city famed for centuries by its beauty in East China's Jiangsu Province, Wuxi is coping with its worst ever water crisis, after the rapidly-spreading algae heavily tainted its water source, Taihu Lake.

Looking like green oil paint, the canopy of algae covered at least 70 percent of the lake's surface.

Continuous high temperatures and a lack of rainfall since this spring are mainly to blame for the blue-green algae outbreak, experts said.

The quality of the water, which became yellow-colored and putrid on May 28, had improved by Friday.

Methods used to flush away the bloom included diverting water from the Yangtze River, the nation's longest river, to dilute the lake water, seeding clouds to bring rain, in addition to improving water treatment techniques, Mao said.

The Ministry of Water Resources had requested the Taihu Lake Valley Administration to double the frequency of quality monitoring - to four times a day.

On Friday, Minister Chen Lei also urged the agency to work with local government to help reduce pollutants being piped into the lake.

Thirty-nine rockets containing silver iodide were fired at eight different sites surrounding Taihu Lake on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.

The operation induced moderate rain for most areas around the lake and even heavy rain in some parts, a spokesman of the Jiangsu Provincial Meteorological Station said.

In addition to the artificially induced rain, the city is expected to have "remarkable rainfalls" in coming days, Zheng Guoguang, chief of the China Meteorological Administration, said.

"Both the precipitations will help improve the scenario," he told China Daily, adding Chinese meteorological satellites are also keeping a close eye on the alga bloom.

Residents in the city have relied on bottled water for consumption in the past few days.

The ample supplies of bottled water - some allocated from neighboring cities as well as Shanghai and Zhejiang Province - have helped quell public panic. But residents have been warned that they may need to keep drinking bottled water for some time.

"Although quality of the water supply has improved significantly on Friday and now it is safe for washing hands or clothes, it still takes some time to become drinkable," Zhang Xiaojian, a professor with Environmental Science and Engineering Department of the Beijing-based Tsinghua University, said.

It will take some time before the residuals of the tainted water in the pipelines are completely flushed out, said the professor, a specialist invited by the municipal government to help deal with the water supply crisis.

"It will be a long-term campaign to battle the algae crisis," he said.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 09, 2007, 08:47:05 PM: The Wuxi Water Crisis's best anecdote.

This happened at Wuxi's Southern Yangtze University.

The student and staff refused to drink the water. So the General Secretary of the University drank a glass of water before them to show he was confident the water was drinkable. The next day the General Secretary was taken to hospital.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on June 09, 2007, 09:50:41 PM: Let's hope it makes his willie fall off. ahahahahah
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: AMonk on June 09, 2007, 10:07:21 PM: Quote from: Bugalugs on June 09, 2007, 08:47:05 PM
The Wuxi Water Crisis's best anecdote.
The next day the General Secretary was taken to hospital.

So. I wonder...what liquid did they put into his IV drip???? oooooooooo
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lone Traveller on June 09, 2007, 10:23:52 PM: Good question mmmmmmmmmm
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: teleplayer on June 11, 2007, 07:25:28 AM: Quote from: Bugalugs on June 09, 2007, 08:47:05 PM
The Wuxi Water Crisis's best anecdote.

This happened at Wuxi's Southern Yangtze University.

The student and staff refused to drink the water. So the General Secretary of the University drank a glass of water before them to show he was confident the water was drinkable. The next day the General Secretary was taken to hospital.

Bugs keep us up-to-date.
I work with people who teach the design of and mangaging the chemistry of drinking water plants. They're very good at it (top 5 in U.S.). It's always good to see them drink from the water fountains at work. The local city water benefits not only from our graduates but is used for various studies.
So, when one of the local PTBs _{(powers that be)} steps up to "prove" the official take on the matter and it backfires, we can only hope that something is done and quickly.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Con ate dog on June 11, 2007, 10:41:34 PM: Well, the guy's sincere.

...or divorced from reality, in which case that glass of water should cure him.

Should.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: moon over parma on June 12, 2007, 02:22:45 AM: Quote from: Con ate dog on June 11, 2007, 10:41:34 PM

He took one for the team (party???), that's for sure. Maybe baiju will clear the toxins out and preserve his kidneys??? afafafafaf
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Bugalugs on June 12, 2007, 11:22:54 PM: Premier orders investigation of algae crisis
(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-06-12 06:58

WUXI: Premier Wen Jiabao has demanded a thorough investigation of the Taihu Lake crisis, which has affected the drinking water supply of about 2 million people.

Efforts to protect the lake from further pollution are also to be scrutinized.

"The pollution of Taihu Lake has sounded the alarm for us," Wen said in a directive to a symposium held by the State Council here yesterday.

Taihu Lake, which was once a scenic attraction famous for its aquatic life, including shrimp, lily and water chestnuts, has been heavily polluted by industrial, agricultural and domestic waste.

Wen said efforts had been made to reduce pollution in Taihu Lake in recent years. "But the problem has never been tackled at the root," he added.

He asked participants in the symposium, including officials from central and local governments, environmental workers, scholars and researchers, to thoroughly investigate the Taihu Lake crisis so that concrete measures could be drawn up in response.

Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan, who attended the symposium, told governments at all levels to work to prevent algae blooms and ensure the safety of drinking water.

Zeng asked local governments to continue collecting the blue-green algae, intensify monitoring of water quality, ensure the water supply and divert more water from the Yangtze River to flush out the pollution.

He also asked environmental watchdogs to strengthen supervision and punish factories that discharge pollutants into Taihu Lake.

At the meeting, all towns around Taihu were ordered to establish sewage treatment plants. Chemical factories will have to meet a new water emissions standard by the end of June next year.

Towns must set up sewage treatment plants and are forbidden from discharging untreated sewage into Taihu Lake or rivers in the Taihu valley. Existing plants must install nitrogen and phosphorus removal facilities before the deadline, according to the plan announced at the meeting.

Chemical factories that fail to meet the new water emissions standard risk suspension. They will be shut down permanently if they fail to meet the standard by the end of next June.

The new water emission standard for the Taihu area will raise the bar for sulfur dioxide emissions and chemical oxygen demand.

source: http://www.chinadaily.cn/china/2007-06/12/content_891909.htm
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Eagle on June 12, 2007, 11:36:24 PM: Impressive response. Now to guage the response to this response. If all goes well, we might be learning something here about a new, emerging China.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: belrain on June 13, 2007, 09:36:53 PM: Quote from: Bugalugs on June 12, 2007, 11:22:54 PM

At the meeting, all towns around Taihu were ordered to establish sewage treatment plants. Chemical factories will have to meet a new water emissions standard by the end of June next year.

Chemical factories that fail to meet the new water emissions standard risk suspension. They will be shut down permanently if they fail to meet the standard by the end of next June.

As long as they do not have "non corruptive" divisions for control (which is probably impossible), they will not change anything.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Con ate dog on June 15, 2007, 04:04:09 AM: I'm an optimist. China got deeply embarrassed here- only time I feel confident that they'll actually do something. Those bold statements of intent to reform from years ago really make everyone look like the North end of a southbound horse. oooooooooo pppppppppp
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Raoul F. Duke on June 18, 2007, 07:33:46 AM: Looks like this story may not be over yet. Sorry, Bugs...

Toxic algae pose new health scare in China
Sun Jun 17, 7:16 AM ET

BEIJING (AFP) - Two of China's biggest lakes are under renewed attack from toxic algae that destroy plant and fish life and threaten humans in the country's latest pollution scare, state media reported on Sunday.

New satellite pictures of eastern China show the blue-green foul-smelling algae spreading in Taihu and Chaohu lakes, the Workers Daily newspaper said.

The toxic algae scare in Lake Taihu has already triggered government panic and forced residents of nearby Wuxi city in Jiangsu province to turn off contaminated tapwater supplies.

Scientists said that algae was still infecting Lake Taihu and had spread to Chaohu Lake in neighbouring Anhui province, where 40 square kilometres (15 square miles) of its surface were covered by the green slime, the newspaper said.

Local government officials were monitoring water quality "by the hour" in the lake, Zhang Bangguo, Anhui province Environmental Protection Agency chief engineer was quoted as saying, describing the situation as "grave."

Last Tuesday the algae scare in Lake Taihu triggered a demand for action from Premier Wen Jiabao, who was quoted in the media as describing it as a pollution "wake-up call."

More than 70 percent of China's waterways and 90 percent of its underground water are contaminated by pollution, according to government figures.

This month, authorities ordered towns around Taihu to shut down all polluting factories and meet new water emission standards by the end of June 2008.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: belrain on June 19, 2007, 01:01:16 AM: http://german.china.org.cn/news/txt/2007-06/18/content_8406235.htm

Sorry, it is german. But you can switch to english on the homepage
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lone Traveller on June 19, 2007, 02:18:07 AM: Holy Moly! That is some seriously green water. Imagine brushing your teeth with that? aaaaaaaaaa
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: belrain on June 19, 2007, 02:31:41 AM: Maybe you can paint your wall with this aoaoaoaoao
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lone Traveller on June 19, 2007, 03:02:43 AM: It would be a very pretty smelling wall indeed.
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Con ate dog on June 19, 2007, 04:19:39 AM: aoaoaoaoao China may be hazardous to your health...
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lono Tiki on June 19, 2007, 05:27:21 AM: Oh, the higher-up cadres will hoot and holler for a few months... and in October, it'll be back to the status quo and Taihu will suffer. My money's on Taihu becoming solid enough to walk across before it becomes "drinkable".
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: moon over parma on June 19, 2007, 06:02:22 AM: Quote from: Lono Tiki on June 19, 2007, 05:27:21 AM
. My money's on Taihu becoming solid enough to walk across before it becomes "drinkable".

Psst. Invest in the large plastic/rubber inflatable bubbles people can climb into. I smell a money maker... Oh, no! Never mind. That's the algae... aaaaaaaaaa
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: Lono Tiki on June 19, 2007, 06:04:32 AM: I'd also get a large air cannon to shoot the bubbles out onto the algae slick and let the people roll on back.

Come on, who wouldn't pay 200rmb for that?
Title: Re: No Water
Post by: belrain on June 19, 2007, 08:07:39 PM: Could be a nice event for BBQ, but somehow, we have to get fresh air nearby the sea. Any ideas? agagagagag