Water Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan

China's central authorities attach great importance to water pollution prevention and control. In April 2015, the State Council released the Water Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan. The document prioritized water conservation and aimed to bring about a balanced spatial configuration with provisions for systematic treatment. It required to have science-based treatment of different rivers and lakes and different regions of the sea, establish a new market-driven mechanism with government guidance, actions by enterprises, and public participation in water pollution control, and advance systematic water pollution prevention and control, water ecosystem protection, and water resource conservation.

The document listed 10 measures:

?controlling the discharge of pollutants across the board;

?transforming and upgrading the economic structure;

?conserving and protecting water resources;

?providing stronger technological support;

?giving full play to the market;

?reinforcing environment-related law enforcement and supervision;

?strengthening management of the water environment;

?ensuring water ecosystem security;

?clarifying responsibilities of all parties involved; and

?encouraging public participation and scrutiny.

In recent years, relevant government departments have joined the campaign to keep China's waters clear, and overall changes have taken place in the water ecosystem. The proportion of surface water with a quality rating of Grade III or better rose from 66 percent in 2015 to 83.4 percent in 2020, while the proportion of surface water worse than Grade V fell from 9.7 percent to 0.6 percent, and 98.2 percent of the 2,914 black, malodorous water bodies in cities at or above prefecture level had been eliminated. As a result, more people now have access to safe drinking water.

During the 14th Five-year Plan period (2021-2025), China will continue to work on water ecosystem protection and restoration, so that there will be clear waters, fish and aquatic plants in the rivers, and harmony between humanity and water. It will turn from pollution control to holistic treatment of the water ecosystem, environment, and resources, thus laying a sound foundation for a beautiful China.

水污染防治行動計劃

中共中央、國務院高度重視水污染防治工作。2015年4月，國務院印發《水污染防治行動計劃》（簡稱“水十條”），以改善水環境質量為核心，按照“節水優先、空間均衡、系統治理、兩手發力”的原則，貫徹“安全、清潔、健康”方針，對江河湖海實施分流域、分區域、分階段科學治理，要求形成“政府統領、企業施治、市場驅動、公眾參與”的水污染防治新機制，系統推進水污染防治、水生態保護和水資源管理。

《水污染防治行動計劃》確定了十個方面的措施，即全面控制污染物排放；推動經濟結構轉型升級；著力節約保護水資源；強化科技支撐；充分發揮市場機制作用；嚴格環境執法監管；切實加強水環境管理；全力保障水生態環境安全；明確和落實各方責任；強化公眾參與和社會監督。

近年來，全國各級各部門持續開展碧水保衛戰，水生態環境發生歷史性、轉折性、全局性變化。到2020年，全國地表水優良水體比例由2015年的66%提高到83.4%，劣V類水體比例由2015年的9.7%下降到0.6%，地級及以上城市2914個黑臭水體消除比例達到98.2%，人民群眾飲水安全建立了可靠保證。“十四五”時期，中國水生態環境保護工作將以“有河有水、有魚有草、人水和諧”為工作目標，以水生態保護修復為核心，努力實現由污染治理為主向水生態、水環境、水資源等流域要素系統治理、統籌推進的轉變，為建設美麗中國奠定基礎。