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Residents of a city in Jiangsu Province protested on Sunday after local officials tried to cover up a contamination in their water supply. Officials later admitted that there was a problem, but are now insisting the water is fine again. Despite that, many residents are still being cautious and buying bottled water.

On February 12, tens of thousands of protestors gathered in Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province. They were protesting because the local water supply had been polluted with the chemical benzene.

Police clashed with the protestors, but one day later the local police station denied that the protest had happened.

Residents say they were alerted to the problem when the water coming out of their taps started to have a bleach-like taste.

At first officials said the water company had simply added more chlorine to the water. But after several days, they admitted that the local water supply had been contaminated with benzene.

Officials are now saying the water is back to normal, but local residents are not convinced.

[Ms. Zhao, Zhenjiang Resident]:
"They have said that, but in our minds we are still willing to spend a bit more money and by mineral water. I tell you, at home, my mother and father and also my sister have over 10 boxes of mineral water prepared and stored there. Prepared for the long haul, at a minimum it would last a month."

In the city, many supermarkets have experienced higher demand for bottled mineral water.

Benzene is a highly flammable clear chemical that is poisonous to humans. Symptoms of benzene poisoning include drowsiness, headaches and irregular heartbeat. Long-term exposure to benzene can cause cancer, and in large doses the chemical can cause death.