CHINA-INTERNAL: RIVER WATER POLLUTION

 The report of a survey conducted by China's Ministry of Water Resources states that about 80 per cent of groundwater in the mainland’s major river basins is unsafe for human contact. The results, which covered 18 provinces, were released on the Ministry’s website on April 11, 2016. This is the first time the Ministry of Water Resources has published water quality information in its monthly update – previously it has included only data such as depth and quantity. Last year it tested 2,103 wells in the basins of the Yangtze, Yellow River, Huai River and Hai River, finding that exploitation and pollution from industrial and agricultural emissions were the biggest threats to water standards. Nearly half – 47.3 per cent – of wells tested were found to have fifth grade, or “extremely bad”, water quality and about a third had fourth grade, or “bad” water quality. None of the wells had “excellent” water quality. Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, said fourth- or fifth-grade groundwater was so polluted it was no longer safe for human ­contact.


The water ministry’s finding that about 80 per cent of groundwater nationwide was polluted was significantly higher than the 60 per cent figure released previously by the Ministry of Environmental Protection. The latter's data was calculated from nearly 4,900 monitoring sites in 202 ­cities.
 






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