A water pollution incident was reported Friday in Sanchajiang River, of Wuchuan City in Guangdong Province, posing a threat to the safety of drinking water for nearly 40,000 people. 

Large quantities of dead fish were found in eight ponds of a fish farm at Lingtou Village in Changqi Township, confirmed the business owner, surnamed Pan. Nearby townships also reported large numbers of dead fish and cases of livestock being poisoned. 

According to the local government the polluted area was about eight kilometers in length. Water in the polluted areas turned brown. 

The pollution has affected the lives of 40,000 people. The local government ordered waterworks in the polluted areas to stop taking water from the river and urged all local markets not sell aquatic products. 

So far hospitals in Wuchuan City have not received any cases of poisoning. .

Preliminary investigation suggests the pollutants were illegally discharged by an upstream enterprise, according to the Wuchuan city environmental protection bureau.

(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2006)