NPC amending Water Law to align with eco code

China is revising its Water Law to better align it with the Ecological and Environmental Code, as a draft amendment was submitted for second reading to the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.

"Some members of the NPC Standing Committee, NPC deputies, national government bodies and local governments suggested that ... in coordination with relevant provisions of the Ecological and Environmental Code, the draft should further improve the overall requirements for the protection, development and utilization of water resources," Cong Bin, a senior legislator of NPC's Constitution and Law Committee, told the session when reporting on the amendment work.

The Constitution and Law Committee proposed adding provisions to the second reading draft to strengthen coordinated governance of water resources, the water environment, water ecology and water-related disasters, Cong said.

It also suggested adding language that calls for a modern industrial system compatible with water resource carrying capacity, as well as a stronger commitment to water conservation.

Under the draft, China would keep in place its rigid water resource constraints and continue to follow the principle of ensuring that the availability of water resources is taken into account in urban development, land use, population growth and industrial planning.

The amendment would also reaffirm the country's water-saving priority policy, advance the national water conservation campaign and strengthen water-saving efforts in agriculture, industry and urban areas, while building a water-saving society.

Taking effect on Aug 15, which coincided with National Ecological Day, China's landmark Ecological and Environmental Code marks the country's second formal statutory code after the Civil Code.

Adopted by the NPC Standing Committee in March, the legislation comprises 1,242 articles across five chapters, addressing pollution control, ecological protection, and green and low-carbon development, among other areas.

The code brings together more than 30 existing laws, over 100 administrative regulations and more than 1,000 local laws and regulations.

The Constitution and Law Committee also proposed adding a clause to prioritize the construction of a national water network, with a focus on improving water resource allocation, basin-level flood control and disaster reduction as well as water ecological protection and governance, Cong said.

The second reading draft calls for enhanced synergy between water allocation and flood mitigation. Under strict safety conditions, it would allow for repurposing floodwaters and capturing wet-season runoff for dry periods — ultimately boosting available water supplies.

Additionally, the draft introduces targeted measures for the rehabilitation of ecologically degraded rivers and lakes. Governments at the county level and above would be required to intensify restoration efforts by employing ecological water replenishment, biological purification, ecological dredging and river-lake connectivity projects.

The revision further proposes the unified allocation of unconventional water resources, including harvested rainwater, both raw and desalinated seawater, mine water and brackish water.

Local governments at or above the county level would be obligated to promote the use of reclaimed water that meets quality standards, prioritizing its application in urban greening, road cleaning, vehicle washing, construction and ecological landscaping.

houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn