The latest revision of the Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law of the People's Republic of China, an important part of China's environmental legal system, came into effect on January 1, 2018. This revision reflects the importance of water pollution prevention and control, and aims to solve the outstanding problems of water pollution and the deterioration of water ecology. Here are some of the main highlights and interpretations of the law:
1.Increased responsibility: The new law stipulates that water environmental protection work must be included in the national economic and social development plan, and localities above the county level shall be responsible for the quality of the water environment in their administrative areas. At the same time, the implementation of the water environmental protection target responsibility system and assessment and evaluation system, the completion of water environmental protection objectives as the content of the assessment and evaluation of local people.
2.*Clarify the boundaries of violations**: The new law stipulates that the discharge of water pollutants shall not exceed the national or local water pollutant discharge standards and the total discharge control targets of key water pollutants. This means that discharging water pollutants in excess of the standard will be considered illegal.
3.*Strengthened total volume control system**: The law implements a total volume control system for the discharge of key water pollutants. For areas that exceed the total discharge control targets of key water pollutants, the relevant people's environmental protection departments shall suspend the examination and approval of the environmental impact assessment documents of construction projects with new total discharge of key water pollutants.
4.*Pollutant Discharge Permit System**: The new law stipulates that enterprises and institutions that directly or indirectly discharge industrial wastewater and medical sewage into water bodies are required to obtain a pollutant discharge permit. The operators of centralized urban sewage treatment facilities are also required to obtain a pollutant discharge permit.
5.*Perfect water environment monitoring network**: Key pollutant discharging units should install automatic monitoring equipment for water pollutant discharge and network with the monitoring equipment of the competent department of environmental protection. The State shall establish a system for monitoring the quality of the water environment and the discharge of water pollutants.
6.*Management of Drinking Water Source Protection Zones**: In order to ensure the safety of drinking water, the new law improves the management system of drinking water source protection zones, including the hierarchical management of drinking water source protection zones and the prohibition of setting up sewage outlets in drinking water source protection zones.
7.*Strengthening the prevention and control of urban sewage**: The new law stipulates that urban sewage should be treated centrally, and requires the operating units of centralized urban sewage treatment facilities to be responsible for the quality of effluent.
8.Prevention and control of water pollution in agriculture and rural areas: The new law adds provisions on the prevention and control of water pollution in agriculture and rural areas, such as supporting livestock and poultry farms to build comprehensive utilization or harmless treatment facilities to ensure that sewage is discharged up to standard.
9.Establishment of the river chief system: The new law enshrines the river chief system into law, requiring provinces, cities, counties and townships to establish a river chief system to strengthen the responsibility of party and government leaders for water pollution prevention and control and water environment management.
10.*Increased penalties**: The new law increases penalties for violations, such as discharging water pollutants in a way that evades supervision, such as improper operation of water pollution prevention and control facilities, will face higher fines and more serious legal consequences.
These measures show that the implementation of the Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law of the People's Republic of China is of great significance for protecting and improving the water environment, safeguarding public health, and promoting the construction of ecological civilization.