China to Clean Up Taihu Lake

The Chinese city of Wuxi is to invest CNY4.5bn ($648m) in cleaning up Taihu Lake, which is polluted due to the growth of wild blue algae, sewage discharges and industrial and agricultural waste.

The freshwater lake covers 2,400km² and is a major source of drinking water for more than 30 million residents in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, as well as Shanghai, reports xinhuanet.com.

In May 2007, city authorities spent CNY30bn ($4bn) on partially cleaning the lake when it was affected with algae, making tap water undrinkable for Wuxi residents.

This year’s investment will be used in hundreds of projects to cut pollution discharges, ensure the safety of drinking water and restore the lake’s ecosystem.