Don’t Touch Landscaping River

Children are playing in the landscaping river.

Shenzhen, Guangdong

Many people flock to rivers to cool off during summer, but health experts warned children and adults against playing in the city’s landscaping rivers, which are mostly made up of recycled sewage water, Shenzhen Economic Daily reported Thursday.

The water in landscaping rivers across Shenzhen is of such poor quality that it may cause itchy skin and rashes just from touching it, said Chen Shihong, a dermatologist at Peking University Shenzhen Hospital.

A mother was astonished when she learned that the water isn’t safe to touch. “The water in Futian River looks much clearer than that of other rivers. Why can’t we play in it?” she said.

An official with the city’s water bureau said water in the Futian River is recycled water from the city’s wastewater treating facilities. Such water is frequently used in landscaping rivers, but isn’t suitable for touching.

Water used for landscaping must contain less than 10,000 E.coli cells per liter, but water that is safe to touch can contain a maximum of 500, according to the country’s standards. 


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