THE cadmium pollution in a river in South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region following a spill from an industrial plant has been controlled and no new leakage has been found, local environmental authorities said yesterday.

    The cadmium concentration in the Lalang section of the Longjiang River in the city of Yizhou, where the spill occurred, has been brought to within the restricted level, said Gan Jinglin, head of the environmental protection bureau of the downstream city of Liujiang.

    The pollution was caused when a local mining company spilt it into the Longjiang River, a tributary upstream of the Liujiang River, which runs through Liujiang City. It was detected Jan. 15.

    The cadmium pollutants have now reached the Luodong hydropower station on the Longjiang River and still pose a threat to water safety in Liujiang, according to experts handling the incident.

    “As the pollutants spread over a large section of Longjiang and are moving downstream, Liujiang is still under threat, but we are able to ensure safe drinking water to residents,” Gan said.

    “Even when pollutants flow into the Liujiang River, it takes 70 more hours to reach the source of the drinking water supply in Liujiang City, which means we have had time to take emergency response measures.” (Continued on P4)