Jiangxi Province in east China has enacted a regulation to ensure clean water supply to Hong Kong from the headwaters of the Dongjiang River, which is the major potable water source for the region.

The regulation sets responsibilities for the counties in the Dongjiang River Valleys to protect forest and water resources and stop any environmental degeneration within two years, so that HongKong, with a population of 7 million, can get enough quality potable water.

Since 1963, the Chinese government has invested billions of yuan in the construction of Dongjiang-Shenzhen Water Supply Improvement Project (DSWSIP) to meet Hong Kong's need for water.

So far, the project has been expanded four times in accordance with the development of Hong Kong and can divert 11 billion cubic meters of water.

However, a large amount of soil on the upper reaches of the Dongjiang River has been washed away, with increasing by over 4 million tons annually. It not only led to soil acidity, but lowered both the quantity and quality of the river water.

Local governments have taken many measures to improve the ecosystem around the Dongjiang River, including planting trees andgrass.

The Dongjiang River originates in Xunwu County in Jiangxi Province and covers an area of 3,502 square kilometers. With 4.4 billion cubic meters of water flow each year, the river inputs 2.92 billion cubic meters of water to the Pearl River Delta annuallyand is the major source of the DSWSIP.

Wang Biao, vice-chairman of the Committee on Environment and Resources of the Jiangxi Provincial People's Congress, said in spite of the poor finance in the local governments, they will not dodge the responsibility to protect the ecosystem on the upper reaches of the Dongjiang River.

(People's Daily August 7, 2003)