THE CONTAMINATION OF DRINKING WATER IN the city of Lanzhou as a result of a crude oil leak is horrible, but what is even more terrifying are the potential threats this accident revealed to the safety of drinking water in this northwestern provincial capital, and maybe in other cities.

The hazardous chemical benzene in the water works was first discovered on Thursday, but the warning was not given until 18 hours later and neither was the contaminated water source isolated until then. If it was not bureaucracy that caused the delay, it must have been problems with the mechanism in place to timely inform citizens of any danger that their drinking water might pose to their health.

The canal transporting water from the Yellow River to the city's water works was built 60 years ago and should have been renovated a long time ago. And since chemical pipelines from the nearby petrochemical plant cross underneath the canal, work should have been done to prevent the water from being contaminated should the pipes leak.