Ministry of Ecology and Environment Seeks Comments on Management of Key Groundwater Pollution Prevention and Control Areas

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment is publicly soliciting opinions from society on the environmental management of key areas for groundwater pollution prevention and control. The public may submit feedback to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment before October 31. This draft for soliciting opinions seeks to build a solid barrier for the safety of groundwater drinking water through zoning control and source prevention and control. This "Guiding Opinions on Strengthening the Environmental Management of Key Areas for Groundwater Pollution Prevention and Control" divides key areas with good groundwater quality and weak pollution prevention capacity into two categories: protection areas and control areas. Protection areas are mainly groundwater drinking water source protection zones and recharge areas; control areas are areas with high development value and fragile groundwater. The document proposes phased goals: by 2028, the management system for key areas will be initially formed and risks will be initially controlled; by 2030, the control system will be fully implemented and the groundwater environmental quality will remain stable and improve.