On December 31, 2024, the press conference on promoting high-quality development in water sector for national water security commenced. Mr. Chen Min, Vice Minister of Water Resources, stated that Ministry of Water Resources has made new achievements in promoting high-quality development in water sector and positively contributed to the sustained economic upturn with the impetus of further deepening water reform in an all-round manner.
Firstly, efforts were made in accelerating the construction of National Water Network. In 2024, 47,000 water projects were implemented, with a total investment of 1.35 trillion RMB and 3.147 million jobs created, effectively playing an important role in stabilizing growth and promoting employment.
Secondly, endeavors were spared in speeding up the consolidation of water facilities for the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas. In 2024, more than 20,000 rural water supply projects were completed, thus raising the level of water supply security for more than 100 million rural people and achieving a national rural tap water penetration rate of 94%.
Thirdly, efforts were tried in gearing up the implementation of water saving policies and the rehabilitation of river and lake ecosystems. The over-exploitation quantity of groundwater decreased by 31.9% compared to 10 years ago, and the serious over-exploitation area declined by 51% in 2024. The newly-added area for soil and water erosion control reached to 64,000 km2.
Fourthly, endeavors were made in stepping up the modernization of flood prevention system and capacity. In 2024, the safety of people’s lives and property was ensured to the maximum extent, by means of strengthening forecasting, early warning, stimulation and emergency preplanning, as well as enhancing unified scheduling of water projects in the river basins.
Vice Minister Chen noted that in 2025 Ministry of Water Resources will further improve the water and drought disaster prevention system, the engineering system of national water network, the governance system of river and lake ecological environment restoration, the digital twin water system, the water saving policy system and the legal system of water governance, so as to make new contributions to the high-quality development in water sector and ensuring national water security.
Source: INTCE