New reservoir to keep city in fresh water

SHANGHAI - The city's tap water supply will not be undermined by the lingering drought and the consequent intrusion of saltwater, a local official from the water authority has said.

The government is poised to provide quality drinking water "thanks to the newly established Qingcaosha Reservoir," Meng Mingqun, head of the water provision department of the Shanghai water authority, said at a press briefing on Wednesday.

Water levels fell to a near-record low in May, Meng said, with the average water flow of the Yangtze River's downstream a mere 18,000 cubic meters per second, compared to 32,000 in the same stretch during normal years.