China has planned to embark a big fund of 123.4 billion yuan
(US$14.9 billion) during the
10th Fiver-Year
Plan period (2001-2005) for 1,590 water pollution control
programs in Huaihe, Haihe and Liaohe rivers and Taihu, Chaohu and
Dianchi lakes, which are abbreviated to "three rivers" and "three
lakes."
According the annual report on China's environment of 2002 issued
by the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) on June 5, Haihe
River is the most polluted river of China's seven major rivers.
More than 75 percent of the sections of the river had Grade V or
worse than Grade V water quality. The Liaohe and Huaihe river
systems have also been polluted severely, with water meeting Grade
V, or worse than Grade V water quality standard, accounting for 68
percent in Liaohe and 60 percent in Huaihe.
Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution and eutrophication in the Taihu,
Chaohu and Dianchi lakes are serious. In Taihu Lake, 60 percent of
water had a water quality of Grade V or worse than Grade V; in
Chaohu Lake, half part of water met the water quality standard of
Grade V and another half worse than Grade V; Waihai section of
Dianchi Lake had water quality of Grade V and Caohai section worse
than Grade V.
The water pollution control plan for the "three rivers" and "three
lakes" has been approved by the State Council to be implemented.
The plan was made out by SEPA, the State Development and Reform
Commission and related provinces, autonomous regions and
municipalities. It mainly includes urban sewage treatment projects,
sewage cutting and training works, agricultural pollution
prevention, river drainage comprehensive harnessing, water
diversion projects and so on.
Local governments are responsible for the funds and the central
government will give some support.
According to the targets set in the plan, by 2005, water quality in
the mainstream of Huaihe River is going to be improved noticeably,
on the premise that mainstream and major tributaries of Huaihe
won't run dry, and water quality of the eastern part of the
south-to-north water diversion project to reach the required
standard; water quality of mainstream and major tributaries in the
Haihe River is going to be improved noticeably, where water quality
of the control section in drinking water sources is to reach the
standard for drinkable water; water quality of the whole drainage
of Liaohe River is going to be further improved, and water quality
of centralized surface drinking water sources to reach the required
standard; water quality of the Taihu Lake, Wuli Lake and Meiliang
Lake (the latter two are sections of Taihu) is going to be improved
noticeably; water quality of the Chaohu Lake is going to be
improved, and water quality in major river courses in Chaohu to
approach or meet the Grade III surface water quality standard;
water pollution in Dianchi River is going to be basically under
control.
To
guarantee the plan to be carried out smoothly, the State
Environmental Protection Administration requires the concerned
provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities to adjust the
industrial structure actively, promote clean production,
effectively control the total pollutant discharge into rivers and
lakes, set up a check-up system for fulfillment of targets and
quotas related to total pollutant discharge and environmental
quality, as well as establish sewage and garbage disposal charge
mechanism, gradually raising the charge for sewage and garbage
disposal and attracting social investment into sewage treatment
plants.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Tingting, June 17, 2003)