At least 131 dead pigs have been dumped into a major river in east China's Jiangxi Province that provides drinking water to the provincial capital, local authorities said on Wednesday.

The water authority of Nanchang City, the capital, first discovered dead pigs on Saturday in a section of the 758-km-long Ganjiang River, a major tributary of the Yangtze River.

As of 6 p.m. on Tuesday, 131 dead pigs had been collected. They are believed to have flowed from the upper reaches of the river, according to the water authority.

Collecting efforts are still under way in the river.

Examination of all water intakes in the city by the environmental and health authorities showed that the tap water is safe for drinking, according to a statement from the municipal government's information office.

The dead pigs have been disposed of safely, added the statement.

In March 2013, thousands of dead pigs were retrieved from the Huangpu River in Shanghai, sparking panic in the business hub as well as satire among the public over tap water safety.

Zhejiang Province's city of Jiaxing, which is located on the Huangpu River's upper reaches, was believed to be the source of the animals.