The State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) has issued a report on the water quality of major rivers in March, the first such monthly report to be made public, SEPA said Wednesday.

The SEPA has decided to issue a report on major river surface water quality monthly from March this year, aiming to speed up the prevention of water pollution and improve environmental administration, sources said.

The report covers 213 major rivers and 28 lakes throughout the country.

According to the report, the Pearl River and Yangtze River have better water quality, while the quality of the Yellow River, Haihe River, Songhua River and Liaohe River is poor.

Compared with the lakes, large reservoirs enjoy better water quality, the report indicates.

(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2003)