Shenzhen has made remarkable achievements in water treatment and air pollution control in 2021, Shenzhen Evening News reported.
President Xi Jinping stated that protecting the mountains and waters well will provide special advantages for the sustainable development of the city’s economy, society and ecological environment at a grand gathering to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone last year.
Shenzhen’s upgraded ecological environmental protection regulations have become effective from Sept. 1 to further protect the ecological environment and tackle pollution problems.
The city’s air quality ranked sixth out of 168 key Chinese cities between January and June this year, while river water quality has significantly improved.
In 2021, Shenzhen has increased water quality testing for 301 rivers’ 408 cross sections and strengthened water pollution prevention and control.
Shenzhen enterprises that discharge pollutants need to obtain a pollutant discharge permit. A monitoring system has been deployed to 577 key polluting entities and 301 key sludge discharging enterprises. Law enforcement departments have investigated 250 environmental violation cases and received 79.2 million yuan (US$12.3 million) in penalties. They have also rectified 13 types of diffused pollution.
Related bureaus have restored 37 lakes and 1,467 small and micro blackened and stinky water bodies, have treated polluted water released from 53 medical institutions, 38 water purification plants, 42 pollutant treatment facilities, 14 ports, four checkpoints and one airport, and have tested streams flowing from 29 reservoirs to ensure safe drinking water sources.
Shenzhen’s high-quality water and air have made the city home to a rich varity of wildlife. Over 10,000 grand cormorants were spotted flying over Shenzhen Bay on Feb. 1 this year, which is a good example of the city’s ecological environment protection achievements.
In this April, Shenzhen announced a target of controlling its PM2.5 concentration, a key air pollution indicator, within 22 microgram per cubic meter, and ensuring surface water bodies meet Grade V standards. Grade V water standards refer to water for agricultural and landscaping use.