Safe water is on tap in the future

SHANGHAI - The cutting-edge technology used to make drinkable tap water in the Expo Garden is expected to be put into wider use in China after the Expo.

The country's first large-scale drinkable tap water facilities are at the Expo, with a total of 158 fountains installed around the Expo Garden to quench thirsty visitors who are not allowed to bring drinks and water into the garden for security reasons.

The free drinkable tap water is being processed by a combined technology of activated carbon absorbing micromolecules of organisms, an ultrafiltration membrane that physically cleans substances, and ultraviolet sterilization. With these technologies, the processed water reaches the international standard for purity and safety, according to Expo authorities.