Water quality fears in major Chinese lake

Water quality in China's fifth-largest freshwater lake is at risk from an outbreak of blue algae, it has been warned.

Chaohu Lake, located in east Anhui Province, is often hit by blue algae between June and September and there are around 30 square kilometres of the plantlife gathered on the western side, Xinhua reports.

Drinking water is not thought to be at risk as these reserves are to the east of the lake.

Lu Xiaoping, head of the water environment department at the provincial environmental protection bureau, said: "The current conditions, including nitrogen and phosphorus contents in water, temperature, wind and sunlight, are favourable for the algae outbreak."

While the algae is not poisonous, it can suffocate the lake surface, leading to death of aquatic animals and pollution.

In related news, it was reported this month that Tianjin Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute and the North China Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute have started to employ an advanced biological nutrient removal technology from Siemens.

Written by Joseph Hutton