Nature makes tentative steps to finally take back Shanghai

Nong Fu watch out, as apparently the city's taps are now safe to suck on, as the water flowing from them now complies with China's safety standards on drinking water.

Jiao said the municipal government has attached great importance to maintaining the quality of tap water for which the government's appropriation has accumulated 5 billion yuan (625 million U.S. dollars).

In response to some complaints that the running water is a yellow color, Jiao said it is attributed to the rust of pipelines in some part of the city, which are either outdated or badly installed.

There are some pedants who have been labelled crazy for not wanting to even brush their teeth or wash their delicious plums (and other fruit) in the city's water, but now they can take a much-deserved sigh of contentment, as the water is now 99.95 percent clean.

This just in: The water still smells and tastes like crap. Mixed with mercury.

As that other mercury rises in coming months, you may feel less of a need to rehydrate, because "Shanghai plans to grow ivy and other creeping plants on the exterior walls of more than 1,000 buildings to cool down temperatures this summer". Which leaves us somewhat speechless.

Photo from Tarzan Publicity Pictures.

Also on Shanghaiist:
The greening of de-stinking of Shanghai