Macao Water Co. Ltd, the sole tap water supplier in the region, said Wednesday that there is no water rationing crisis in Macao.

The enterprise said in a statement that the current salinity problem will not lead to a tap water shortage.

The statement said Macao Water has been implementing corresponding measures to maintain the salinity level of drinking water at 350 milligram per liter. Macao Water, a Macao-Portuguese joint venture, is holding the monopoly of the city's tap water supply.

The salinity level has hiked to 600 mg/l in the region during the dry winter season, far above the 250-mg/l standard set up by the World Health Organization.

Macao, counting the water supply on Xijiang River which is originated in Guangdong Province, has long been enduring the salinity crisis caused by the intake of the sea water during the winter season.

(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2006)