SHENZHEN citizens recently complained that they have seen black and smelly water flowing into the sea through an outfall between the Hilton Shenzhen Shekou Nanhai and Shenzhen Bay Marina Club many times.

A resident reported the situation to DT News on Thursday and requested for an investigation from the municipal water authority and Zhaoshang Subdistrict Office.

The resident told a reporter with the News that he suspected there was an illegal discharging of polluted water. He took pictures and videos and made a complaint to related departments Friday.

Staffers with the water authority’s Shekou office examined the suspicious water at 8 p.m. that night. They took some samples, but results showed that the water’s quality was up to standards. A staffer said that it was the black soil at the bottom of the sea that blackens the water. The resident expressed his gratitude to the office staffers.

In addition, Nanshan District’s water authority responded to the complaint. They said that its investigation results indicate that the Hilton’s internal drainage system is well-operated without any illegal discharging.

A further examination of the nearby environments discovered that the source of the “polluted” water is the runoff from the construction site of the No. 7 project of China Merchants Harbours Engineering Co. Ltd., which was leveling the ground of the site. The authority has notified the company to treat the wastewater as soon as possible.

According to the Qianhai and Shekou Pilot Free Trade Area regulations, Nanshan District authorities has no enforcement authority over the construction project and will actively cooperate with related departments to further investigate.

(Xia Yuanjie)