CHANGCHUN: The quality of the water at Xinlicheng reservoir, which was hit by an outbreak of blue algae, is getting worse, an expert said yesterday.

Zhang Junxian, director of the local environmental protection bureau, said what was needed now, was heavy rains and cooler weather.

In response to his comments, the local meteorological department yesterday fired rainmaking rockets into the air above the polluted reservoir in a bid to spur a downpour.

Authorities in Changchun, capital of Northeast China's Jilin Province, stopped drawing water from the polluted reservoir on Tuesday and are instead using Shitoukoumen reservoir, which has not been affected by the algae outbreak.

The city uses an average of 770,000 tons of water per day. However, with the closure of the Xinlicheng reservoir, the daily supply in certain areas has been cut by 40,000 to 60,000 tons.

To meet the shortfall, the local government is to spend 10 million yuan ($1.3 million) on the construction of a new pipeline to carry water from Shitoukoumen reservoir to the western part of the city, as well as continuing to transport water to stricken areas by fire engine.

The new pipeline is scheduled to open within a week.

Changchun Mayor Cui Jie said the city government will do everything it can to ensure residents have potable water, while places that use large volumes, such as public baths and car washes, might be asked to temporarily close.

In Jinjiang, a community of more than 930 households hard-hit by the algae outbreak, the fire brigade has filled a 1,400-ton storage tank, which is sufficient to supply residents for at least three days.

The blue algae first began to appear in Xinlicheng reservoir on July 5. The outbreak might have been caused by contamination from fertilizers and pesticides used on nearby cropland, Zhang said.

The recent hot weather and low rainfall since June might also have contributed to the bloom, he said.

(China Daily 07/19/2007 page4)