Tap water may be monitored online

A citywide, real-time online monitoring system - the first of its kind in China- has been proposed by the Beijing Health Inspection Institute, to enhance the supervision on drinking water quality following the contamination of 17 cases of drinking water in 2009.

Statistics from the inspection institute show that there have been around 360 complaints this year involving the potability of the city's drinking water. After testing, 17 were confirmed water contamination cases.

The Beijing Health Inspection Institute currently organizes spot checks twice a year, which requires samples to be brought back to the labs for testing.