Ministry of Ecological Environment: Solidly promote the treatment of black and odorous water bodies in cities.

On August 26, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment held its regular press conference for August. Jiang Huohua, the director of the Water Ecological Environment Department, stated that as of the first half of this year, more than 3,000 polluted black and smelly water bodies in cities at the prefecture level and above have been basically eliminated. The effectiveness of governance has been further consolidated and improved, with more than 400 county-level cities achieving a elimination rate of over 90%. The main focus of their work includes three aspects: 1) Comprehensive governance and expanding the scope of work. A collaborative mechanism has been established with the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and "two plans and one notice" have been issued to include 397 county-level cities and urban areas in seven eastern provinces in the scope of black and odorous water body governance. 2) Continuously consolidating and improving long-term mechanisms. Localities are guided to strengthen the operation and maintenance of sewage treatment plants, pipelines, and other facilities, and implement drainage permit management along black and smelly water bodies to comprehensively enhance the capacity to prevent black and smelly water bodies from returning. 3) Strengthening supervision and accountability. Localities are guided to implement provincial-level environmental protection actions, establish dynamic management of black and smelly water bodies, and promptly include those returning to black and smelly, as well as newly discovered black and smelly water bodies, in the governance and supervision list.