Beijing will spend 10 million yuan (US$1.23 million) this year
to construct a network monitoring its underground water supply
pipelines.
An official from the Tap Water Group of Beijing City said they
would purchase two radars which would be used to monitor water
pipelines at major construction sites such as subways.
In the meantime, devices, capable of sending data every 15
seconds, will also be installed at more than 1,000 wells or sluices
to monitor leaks, according to the official.
"With the above-mentioned equipments in place, we will be able
to act earlier and prevent emergencies such as pipeline fractures,"
said the official.
Underground water pipelines in the national capital total
6,400km. Workers with the Tap Water Group inspect the underground
water pipelines once every five days.
The official added that they would hire 15 more workers to
patrol facilities such as hydrants and sluice gates along routes of
subway construction this year.
A leaking sew at the southeastern corner of the Jingguang Bridge
on the city's Third Ring Road led to a road collapse in on January
3. The cave-in caused sewage to flood one of the construction site
of Beijing subway No. 10 line and brought traffic to a standstill
in the affected area. Traffic fully resumed in the area two weeks
later.
(Xinhua News Agency February 11, 2006)