Cleaners pour a full lorry of snow into a sewage well in Xi'an, capital city of northeastern China's Shaanxi Province, on Wednesday, January 16, 2008. [Photo: Chinese Business View]

Cleaners in the northwestern Chinese city of Xi'an were caught depositing snow into sewage wells, which may impede drainage.

Local paper Chinese Business View reported that, because the snow couldn't melt away quickly due to the cold weather, sanitation workers had difficulty disposing it. They therefore chose to sweep the snow into drainage wells.

However, some citizens pointed out that along with snow, objects like rotten leaves or rubbish tends to block the pipe networks. As a result, the networks' ability to dispel flood waters may be decreased.

Moreover, the snow melting chemicals could possibly corrode the sewers.

(CRI January 18, 2008)