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Clean Water in Shanghai: What You Need To Know

2018-04-10 Josh ShanghaiWOWeng


Surely most of you either have filters, buy bottled water, or at the very least boil your water before using it for food or drinks. While this has become standard practice amongst the expat (and local) community in Shanghai, many still dont understand why. Truth be told, the Shanghai water systems have actually come a long way in terms of quality, transparency (literally), and efficiency. Lets take a look into Shanghais water to get a clearer pitcher.”  


 

The Problem

 

Well, it’s actually not just one problem. There are a ton of factors that affect the drinking water of any city, especially one as large and dynamic as Shanghai. The main problems leading to the problems with Shanghai’s water are as follows:

 

  • Local Industry Pollution: It has been known for years that many manufacturing companies pollute Shanghai’s nearby rivers and water sources by dumping untreated chemical waste.

 

  • Sewage: A large portion of Shanghai’s sewage goes into those same rivers, untreated, and unmonitored. Think that’s good for you? It’s not.

 

  • Old Infrastructure: Even though the top two issues have been heavily addressed by local authorities and key players in the industry, there is still a long way to go. Many studies show that household water systems throughout Shanghai (piping, faucets, etc.) are largely outdated and add to high levels of metals in our drinking water after it’s been treated by the many water treatment plants working to solve Shanghai’s water crisis.

 


What Does This Mean?

 

As mentioned, amazing things have been done by water treatment plants, local authorities, and effective policy to limit and eventually reverse some of the negative effects of pollution into Shanghai’s many rivers and water sources. The effect has been incredibly impressive, having vastly limited the amount of pollution as well as incentivizing clean water practices is nothing short of an incredibly-needed miracle.

 

However, it’s not enough. The outdated infrastructure going through the city remains to be the major hitch causing our drinking water to be, at least for the time being, undrinkable.

 


How To Drink Your Water

 

Depending on your building’s age, pipes, and overall quality, you may or may not actually be able to drink your tap water, at least after boiling. As mentioned, many of the pipes that bring the water to Shanghai homes are old, rusted, and not up to the same standards used in developed countries. This means that metals and sediment are constantly seeping into Shanghai’s water during its travel from the treatment facility to your home.

 

While newer buildings may have their own filtration systems and higher quality piping, it’s not a gamble worth taking. There are many solutions to solve your drinking water crisis right now. Take a look at the list below, with each solution rated on a scale of 1 – 10:

 

  • Boil Tap Water: 1 

  • Metal doesn’t boil away, unfortunately.

 

  • Bottled Water: 3

  • Healthy-ish, but you clearly hate our planet.

 

  • Refillable Water Jug: 7

  • Healthy and treated. You’re better than the bottled water folks.

 

  • Personal Water Filter: 9

  • Healthy and transparent. Often outrageously expensive for a trustworthy brand, but worth it for your health and our environment.

 

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