Objectives To inspect the hygienic status of drinking water after the "4·20" earthquake in Lushan. To analyze risk factors and take strong measures to control unsafe factors pertinently to ensure the safety of drinking water in disaster areas.

Methods The hygienic status of drinking water was monitored daily, including the test in laboratories and rapid testing on the spot.The tested data were reported timely.

Results The quality of source water was turned bad and the water treatment installations and pipe networks were badly destroyed after the earthquake and the qualification rate of water was extremely low. The indexes of turbidity, ammonia nitrogen and Escherichia coli in drinking water were surpassed the standard limits.The risks of waterborne diseases, such as intestinal infectious diseases were high.Therefore, the recovery of pipe networks were sped up, the monitoring and supervision of drinking water was enhanced, intensifying the disinfection of drinking water was push forward, the health education was follow up and drinking boiled water was proposed. Sharing information with relevant departments responsible for drinking water management, carrying out their duties respectively to ensure the safety of drinking water were all suggested.

Conclusions The work on ensuring the safety of drinking water in Lushan was learned from the lessons which have been drawn after the earthquake in Wenchuan.The response to the disaster in Lushan was so rapid, the disposition was so valid and the guidance was so pertinent with integrated commands and arrangements. Exploring the establishment of emergency inspection vehicles to create conditions for other emergency monitoring action in the future was suggested.