12 September, Beijing released a city level Groundwater Protection and Pollution Prevention/Control Action Plan. Beijing relies on groundwater to support its economic development – over 60% of the total water supply comes from underground. Even after 2014, when the South-North Water Diversion Project will be in place, groundwater will still make up around 50% of Beijing’s water supply.

The plan specified following requirements:

• There will be a detailed plan for groundwater resource protection and over exploitation of groundwater will be strictly forbidden. They will also conduct a census and evaluation at regular intervals to examine polluting sources.
• To stop pollution from city sewage.
• Clean up informal landfill for solid waste.
• Manage pollution from industries by strengthening the monitoring of industrial waste water emissions with a focus on heavy metal polluted waste water.
• Develop a soil contamination investigation in industrial areas.
• Better prevention and control for water pollution in rural areas.
• No new golf courses will get approval to be built.
• Better management for abandoned wells.
• Encourage the development of eco-friendly small watersheds.
• Integration and optimization of monitoring systems for groundwater.

To better implement the plan, a coordination team was established with the deputy mayor as the team leader.

For details on the plan see here (Chinese only).

Further Reading

• Water: Beijing Leads the Way – Beijing takes the lead announcing a RMB500 billion Energy Savings & Environmental Protection industry days after the national plan, with more water treatment, recycling, harvesting and pipes plus stricter monitoring of pollution
• Groundwater Crackdown – Hope Springs – The economy slows down but the Chinese government speeds up groundwater crackdown with increased transparency, blacklists at both central and provincial levels