Free Carwash Pollutes Beijing Water Supply

BEIJING, China -- Motorists who wash their cars in a shallow waterway near a reservoir in Beijing could unwittingly damage a power-generation plant that runs on water from the storage basin according to the Straits Times and the Beijing Morning Post.

The dirty water from the cars could also pollute river courses around the reservoir that provide drinking water for nearby residents. Many Beijing residents who drive out to the suburbs on weekends stop at a stretch of shallow waterway near the Shisanling reservoir to clean their cars.

As water from this canal flows into underground channels that lead to the reservoir, the dirty water from the cars also enters the storage basin. Water from the reservoir is used mainly to generate power at the Shisanling power station, a station spokesman said. Polluted water could affect power generation and reduce the lifespan of the plant's power generators.

As there are many old river courses near Shisanling, the dirty water seeping underground could make drinking water unsafe for nearby residents who draw water from these rivers. Motorists washing their cars there is a recent phenomenon.

Source: The Straits Times<$>