Shanghai's Water Supply Bureau has promised citizens that water will not become a channel for the spread of SARS in the city.

All of the city's water facilities have intensified supervision of water quality and extra chlorine has been added to aid disinfection.

The city's water supply network would be patrolled daily to ensure leaks or pipe breaks were repaired immediately and facilities near designated SARS patient reception hospitals were to receive special supervision to prevent leakage of potentially contaminated water.

Thunderstorms are common in the region at the turn of spring and summer, and Shanghai's Water Supply Bureau urged that rainfall onto roads be cleared quickly to avoid the spread of bacilli and viruses via waste water.

The city's waterway administrative department has asked that all ships entering or leaving port be disinfected every day. Ship staff from SARS-affected areas were required to declare their health status before entry.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2003)