SZ River has best water quality in 30 yrs

Writer: Wang Jingli  | Editor: Holly Wang  | From:  | Updated: 2019-04-10

The Shenzhen River. File photo

The water quality in the Shenzhen River has met the National V Standard for surface water since last December, which is the best situation in the past 30 years, according to the Shenzhen Economic Daily.

Designated as the model area for water treatment, the Shenzhen River saw a breakthrough in water quality after receiving a series of tough treatments.

The improvement has even attracted Chinese white dolphins and jellyfish back to the Shenzhen Bay. Additionally, the number of animals, such as fiddler crabs, shuttles hoppfish and pied avocet, resting in and along the river has increased year by year.

The situation is even more inspiring for black-faced spoonbills, which are an endangered species. The number of black-faced spoonbills flying to the Shenzhen Bay for the winter rebounded to 375, accounting for about one-tenth of their total number around the world, the report said.

In order to ensure that the water at the mouth of the Shenzhen River meets required standards, the city has fully utilized the role of the municipal command department for water quality improvement to upgrade the work.

Shenzhen Water Group established a command center at the basin of the Shenzhen River to conduct real-time monitoring of its contents, to determine water quality as well as the overall situation, and to achieve the complete collection and treatment of sewage.

As much as 3.13 billion yuan (US$470 million) was allocated for the treatment of the Shenzhen River last year. The pipes built in the area for diverting sewage extend 175.34 kilometers, and the handling capability has reached 1.05 million cubic meters per day, according to the report.

This year is decisive in achieving the city’s goal on water pollution. At present, water quality in several branches of the Shenzhen River fails to meet the required standards. The construction of pipes that separate rainwater and raw sewage in the upper reaches of the Longgang and the Buji rivers has not yet been completed.

As a result, the key for this year is to ensure effluent is collected and treated before it spills directly into rivers. Moreover, projects cleaning up silt in underground culverts will also be put into practice across the city.

“The water quality in the Shenzhen River is expected to be improved further this year,” said a staffer with the river’s treatment office.