Five Jailed for Contaminating Water for Huai'an City, China
- 14 years ago
In China’s Jiangsu Province, five people have been jailed for contaminating the water supply for the five million people living in Huai'an city.
In late February, residents of Huai'an discovered a strange smell coming out of their taps. An investigation revealed petrochemical company Hongze Rihui Adjuvant had been discharging industrial waste into an irrigation ditch connected to the city’s water supply. City authorities had to cut the water off for a week.
On Friday, a court in Hongze County gave prison terms to eight employees of the firm ranging from nine to 29 months. Three of the employees received suspended sentences with a probationary term, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The company was also fined one million yuan (almost $150,000 U.S. dollars) and ordered to pay 350,000 yuan in compensation to the water company.
According to state-run Xinhua, at least 15 million cubic meters of contaminated water was taken into the city’s tap network before authorities shut down the supply.
In late February, residents of Huai'an discovered a strange smell coming out of their taps. An investigation revealed petrochemical company Hongze Rihui Adjuvant had been discharging industrial waste into an irrigation ditch connected to the city’s water supply. City authorities had to cut the water off for a week.
On Friday, a court in Hongze County gave prison terms to eight employees of the firm ranging from nine to 29 months. Three of the employees received suspended sentences with a probationary term, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The company was also fined one million yuan (almost $150,000 U.S. dollars) and ordered to pay 350,000 yuan in compensation to the water company.
According to state-run Xinhua, at least 15 million cubic meters of contaminated water was taken into the city’s tap network before authorities shut down the supply.