In Liaoning community, water catches fire

Tap water was found to be flammable in a resident's home in the Dawa district of Panjin, Liaoning province, after being mixed with natural gas underground, local authorities said on Tuesday.

On Nov 21, a woman surnamed Wen, from Siying village in Dawa, posted a message on social media that her tap water at home could be ignited. She also said her hands became sticky after washing, with a layer of oily material covering them. Some other households in the village had reported the same problem, she said.

Panjin authorities published a note saying they had shut down water wells and halted the use of water pipes in areas that reported problems with water quality. They also sent experts to test the water and determine the cause of the problem.

A notice on Tuesday said investigators had found that the tap water originated deep underground. A small amount of natural gas had found its way into the water layer.

Siying village has been using groundwater recently because of the expansion and renovation of local water storage devices. A comprehensive inspection of all water sources in Dawa district has been carried out by local authorities. No problems have been found in other areas, they said.

Dawa will further improve the water supply process to ensure the safety of tap water for residents, and it will punish departments or individuals who may be responsible for problems, the authorities said.

Zhou Jiaxin and Xia Yilin contributed to the story.