Citizens in south China's largest city, Guangzhou, risk a drinking water cut-off in the coming days as salt levels reach alarming heights, state media said Monday.
A "salt tide," caused as a drought sucks seawater inland, is threatening the city and municipal authorities can no longer guarantee normal, uninterrupted supplies, the People's Daily reported.
To brace for the crisis, several waterworks have been ordered to cease operations for limited periods of time over the coming week, according to the paper.
The steps come as salt levels in some parts of the city's water supply have hit 2,000 milligrams per liter, or eight times the generally accepted safety maximum.
The area has been suffering from a drought for the past two years.
Source: Agence France-Presse
