9 Water Quality Management
201
standard in time (Zhang 2011). In rural areas, several factors, such as lack of proper
treatment facilities and operations, make it even more challenging to obtain a water
supply with the appropriate quality.
9.1 Legal Framework
Key legislation for water quality management in China includes the Water Pollution
Control Law, Water Law, Environmental Protection Law, and Environmental Protection Taxation Law. These laws are supported by administrative decrees issued by
the State Council and by local legislations issued by provinces. There are also many
departmental regulations and a handful of policies.
The 2014 Environmental Protection Law defines the framework for environmental
protection in the country, including stipulations for water quality management:
• Environmental protection is a fundamental national policy (Article 4) and
adheres to the principles of protection, prevention, comprehensive control, public
participation, and liability of damages (Article 5).
• The EPAD under the State Council formulates national environmental standards
(Article 15) and national pollutant discharge standards based on national environmental quality standards as well as economic and technical conditions (Article
16).
• The state develops cross-region joint-control coordination mechanisms for key
areas and river basin environmental pollution and ecological degradation control
and implements integrated plans, standards, monitoring and controls (Article 20).
• The state adopts environmental protection target accountability and a performance
evaluation system (Article 26).
• The state adopts a total discharge volume control system for key pollutants (Article
44).
• Citizens, legal persons, and other organizations have the right to obtain environmental information, participate in, and supervise the activities of environmental
protection in accordance with the law (Article 53). The EPAD of the State Council
integrated national environmental quality issues, monitoring data from key pollutant sources and other important environmental information (Article 54). The
key pollutant-discharging units truthfully disclose key discharge pollutants to the
public (Article 55).
The 2017 Water Pollution Control Law stipulates the systems for water pollution control and provides details for industrial, urban, rural, and agricultural water
pollution control, including the following:
• The river chief system is to be developed at the provincial, prefectural, country, and
township levels to organize water resources protection, coastal line protection, and
water pollution control projects for rivers and lakes in the administrative regions
(Article 5).
201
standard in time (Zhang 2011). In rural areas, several factors, such as lack of proper
treatment facilities and operations, make it even more challenging to obtain a water
supply with the appropriate quality.
9.1 Legal Framework
Key legislation for water quality management in China includes the Water Pollution
Control Law, Water Law, Environmental Protection Law, and Environmental Protection Taxation Law. These laws are supported by administrative decrees issued by
the State Council and by local legislations issued by provinces. There are also many
departmental regulations and a handful of policies.
The 2014 Environmental Protection Law defines the framework for environmental
protection in the country, including stipulations for water quality management:
• Environmental protection is a fundamental national policy (Article 4) and
adheres to the principles of protection, prevention, comprehensive control, public
participation, and liability of damages (Article 5).
• The EPAD under the State Council formulates national environmental standards
(Article 15) and national pollutant discharge standards based on national environmental quality standards as well as economic and technical conditions (Article
16).
• The state develops cross-region joint-control coordination mechanisms for key
areas and river basin environmental pollution and ecological degradation control
and implements integrated plans, standards, monitoring and controls (Article 20).
• The state adopts environmental protection target accountability and a performance
evaluation system (Article 26).
• The state adopts a total discharge volume control system for key pollutants (Article
44).
• Citizens, legal persons, and other organizations have the right to obtain environmental information, participate in, and supervise the activities of environmental
protection in accordance with the law (Article 53). The EPAD of the State Council
integrated national environmental quality issues, monitoring data from key pollutant sources and other important environmental information (Article 54). The
key pollutant-discharging units truthfully disclose key discharge pollutants to the
public (Article 55).
The 2017 Water Pollution Control Law stipulates the systems for water pollution control and provides details for industrial, urban, rural, and agricultural water
pollution control, including the following:
• The river chief system is to be developed at the provincial, prefectural, country, and
township levels to organize water resources protection, coastal line protection, and
water pollution control projects for rivers and lakes in the administrative regions
(Article 5).