Authorities probe tainted water in Shijiazhuang

Allegations that a chemical factory contaminated underground water supplies used for drinking and irrigation are being investigated by the environmental watchdog in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, officials said on Saturday.

The city government organized an investigative team, which collected water samples from polluted farmland in Xinle - a county-level city - the watchdog said on WeChat.

Investigators have been sent to nearby factories to pinpoint the sources of contamination, and anyone involved in illegal waste discharge will be held accountable, the statement said.