Bottled water at a super market. [Photo/ecns.cn]

HANGZHOU - A lingering stench in tap water in East China's scenic city Hangzhou caused a rush for bottled water in the city with a 9 million population, chinanews.com reported.

On Monday, citizens swarmed into supermarkets and almost emptied the shelves, although the city said the stench from Qiangtang River, which supplies drinking water to the city, has been reduced from several days earlier.

Local residents in the west and north of urban Hangzhou have complained of an odd smell in their tap water since Dec 10, saying the water tastes like paint, plastic or pesticide.

But until last Thursday, the local environmental protection bureau hadn't found the cause of the odor. Zhang Lihua, vice manager of the local water group, said the water quality meets the national hygiene standard, with only indexes of smell and taste showing the water being slightly contaminated.

The tap water is safe to drink, despite the smell, Zhang said, but suggested senior citizens and children consider drinking bottled water.

Activated carbon filters have been used at two water plants in Hangzhou to eliminate the smell, the bureau said.

Now, a project aimed at bringing water from Qiandao Lake to Hangzhou city is gaining more support, which had been opposed due to a fear of affecting the regional biological system.