A pollution spill on a branch of the Yangtze River has affected water supply for 200,000 people in central China's Hubei Province, according to local authorities.

The serious pollution on the Hanjiang River has affected residents along its three tributaries, namely the Xinglong, Tianguan and Dongjing rivers, local environmental and water company sources said.

The water became red with large amounts of bubbles, said Gao Qijin, head of Xingou Township Tap Water Company in Jianli County, which is along the Dongjing River.

He said the pollution was found on Sunday afternoon and the company immediately stopped drawing water from the Dongjing River as it did not meet the tap water standard.

Water supply has been cut for about 60,000 residents in the town. Five schools also have stopped classes.

Residents now have to rely on bottles of purified water and limited underground water. The town does not have alternate emergency underground water sources.

The environmental protection authorities were investigating the source of the contamination.

An official surnamed Peng of the Qianjiang City Environmental Protection Bureau said the city had ordered tap water companies to stop drawing water from the polluted sections.

Local authorities are planning to shut down a gate through which the Hanjian River pollution spilled into the affected rivers and open a gate linking a lake to dilute the pollutants.

(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2008)