After a decade of aggressive pollution control that has dramatically improved the quality of urban rivers, China is now turning its focus toward ecosystem restoration, as new challenges emerge in groundwater, rural areas, and unmonitored pollutants.
China’s 2015 Water Pollution Action Plan transformed the country’s monitoring and governance systems. Between 2014 and 2024, the share of surface water suitable for drinking, fishing and direct human contact jumped from 63% to 90.4%, while the most polluted waters fell from 9.2% to just 0.6%, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE).
Technology, real-time monitoring, and public participation were central to these gains. Platforms like the Blue Map, which invited citizens to report pollution, logged more than 13,000 cases in four years, with over 80% receiving official responses.
Despite progress in surface waters, groundwater pollution remains severe. Over 20% of groundwater was still rated “too polluted to drink” (Class V) between 2021 and 2024, largely due to industrial seepage and overextraction.
Another looming threat is emerging pollutants – such as antibiotics, endocrine disruptors, and persistent organic chemicals. Studies show agriculture is the largest contributor, with 1,600 tonnes of antibiotics entering the Yangtze River basin annually between 2013 and 2021.
In 2022, Beijing launched its first campaign against new pollutants, but experts argue the priority must be stopping contaminants at the source, as treatment technologies and standards are still in early stages.
Urban water treatment coverage has reached 98%, but in rural areas only 45% of wastewater is treated. Agriculture is the main source of phosphorus pollution in rivers and lakes, accounting for 99% of the total load.
Experts warn that traditional city-style approaches won’t work in rural areas. Instead, they recommend ecosystem-based solutions – restoring wetlands, rivers and lakes to naturally recycle nitrogen and phosphorus, improving water quality where engineering methods fall short.
Towards Ecological Management
Officials now emphasize a holistic approach combining water environment, resources, and ecology. In May 2025, the MEE unveiled a new three-year action plan for river and lake protection.
The Yangtze River has become a flagship example:
- A 10-year fishing ban began in 2021, with 230,000 fishers given alternative jobs.
- Key wetlands and grasslands are under restoration.
- Environmental health indicators now include aquatic biodiversity, natural riverbank retention, and ecosystem connectivity.
China’s water environment now rivals mid-tier developed nations in quality, but ecological balance remains fragile. As Ma Jun of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs noted, the shift is clear: “Our aim is no longer just clean water, but living rivers that can support ecosystems.”
With the EU and U.S. having pursued ecosystem restoration since the 1980s, China’s pivot signals a maturing stage of water governance – one that could redefine its approach to climate resilience, food security, and public health.
