Environment officials said on Wednesday that the completion of the functional division of China's surface water will help them better manage national water resources.
The division was made according to different functions of surface water, such as drinking water, water in nature reserves and water used for agriculture and industry.
A major role of the division is to curb water pollution in the country, said Zhang Liwei, director of the office for water system management at the State Environmental Protection Administration.
Zhang used the example of the Miyun Reservoir in Beijing, which supplies the capital city with drinking water and has been listed as a drinking water source.
"In this case, no water that is worse than level-three water should be discharged into the reservoir," he said.
In China, water is divided into six levels according to quality, with level one rated the best.
According to Wang Jirong, vice-minister of the administration, the country's surface water has been divided into more than 12,800 water divisions.
Wang said the divisions involve 10 key river valleys, including the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, more than 5,700 rivers and 980 lakes and reservoirs in the country.
She said the system - which includes the current water system - lays the foundation for water management and the implementation of standards for the surface water system.
The division is closely linked to the monitoring of the water environment and the evaluation of the environmental impact of newly launched projects, she said.
Wang said her administration will make full use of the system and push forward water management in the country.
Earlier this month, the administration publicized regulations on the division of different regions according to their ecological status and functions.
According to Cui Shuhong of the administration, such division will help make it clear what industries should be developed in one region and what should not.
Cui said the move would enable plans to be made for both ecological protection and regional development and reasonable use of local resources.
He added that Northwest China's Gansu Province and East China's Fujian Province have completed such divisions.
(China Daily September 20, 2002)
