Millions of residents are at risk of water pollution because of the contamination of Lake Tai. (Photo : Getty Images)
Lake Tai is continually being destroyed by pollution and dumping of waste, based on a statement of local authorities and residents.
An estimated 12,000 tons of garbage has been dumped into the lake. The nature of the garbage is yet to be determined. Local residents sighted cargo boats from Shanghai that have dumped over 4,000 tons of garbage. The garbage was dumped in the township of Jinting.
The large heaps of rubbish is causing local officials to worry. The lake is predicted to rise in the coming months due to the steady outpour of rains.
Sluice gates were opened before the rains came in last Monday.
Local officials also reported that when the water from the lake rises further, drinking water will be contaminated and non-potable. There is a huge dump of garbage which is only 2 kilometers from the water source in Jinting.
The contaminated water will affect about 10 million residents.
The contamination of Lake Tai is only part of the many bodies of water that have been destroyed in China. According to Wang Jihua, a researcher from the China Institute of Water Resources, many rivers across the country are contaminated by pollution or dried up.
These bodies of water include the Poyang Lake, the biggest lake in China, and the Doyang Lake.
Wang observed that groundwater is exploited in disastrous amounts. Contamination of groundwater is very common in the Hebei Province. The researcher observed that the pollution is coming from industrial waste.
He said, ""The shortage is set to become even more severe as the economy continues to grow."
