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China's top
environmental watchdog will carry out several pilot projects nationwide
this year to tackle aquatic environment risks such as blue-green algae
blooms in major lakes. The Ministry
of Ecology and Environment will set up pollution prevention pilot
projects in large farms that discharge pollutants from fertilizer. Other types of
pilot projects will include restoration of aquatic vegetation in lakes
and construction of wetlands to purify water downstream of vital sewage
outlets and river inlets, the ministry told a news conference on
Tuesday. Zhang Bo, head
of the ministry's water ecology and environment department, said that
protecting aquatic ecosystems remains an arduous task despite
improvements made last year. "The issue of
blue-green algae bloom in major lakes such as Taihu and Chaohu lakes in
East China, and Dianchi Lake in Yunnan province are tough," he said. "No
effective method for treating the pollution from pesticides and
fertilizers has ever come out." The algae is a
type of bacteria normally found in water bodies that thrives when an
excess of chemicals containing nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural
activities mixes with warm and nutrient-rich water. "Over the
years, people, especially those from eastern and southern parts of China
with a dense industrial layout, have been living lifestyles that go
against the philosophy of protecting clean water. That damaged river
buffers and headwaters," Zhang said. By the end of
last year, the main stream of the Yangtze River had reached Grade II
level, the ministry said, adding that it was a historic breakthrough. Last year,
environmental authorities eliminated 98.2 percent of 2,914 black,
odorous water bodies in cities at prefecture level and above. Zhang said remaining problems of odorous water will be complicated to solve. "In cities,
people dump garbage and discharge sewage into pipe networks in the dry
summer. However, when rainy season arrives, pollution will increase in
water bodies after being washed out by rain due to improper design of
networks. They need to be further renovated, especially in old cities
with many historical sites," he said. Zhang added
that the proportion of water for ecological use should also be ensured.
Such water is used to maintain life in the ecosystem. "For many
years, we attached great importance to water for production and domestic
use. Water for ecological use was ignored," he said. "That has led to
depleted water resources and cutoff rivers. Retaining water for
ecological use is the bottom line."
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