As water pollution in the Taihu Lake in east China becomes even deteriorated, Jiangsu provincial government has recently spelled out even tougher regulations to curb water pollutants discharged into the big fresh water lake by irresponsible water polluters around it.

According to the new regulations jointly issued by Jiangsu's environmental protection bureau and quality supervision, inspection and quarantine bureau, the new measures will cover the greater Taihu Lake region that include cities of Wuxi, Changzhou, Suzhou, Zhenjiang, Danyang, Jurong, and part of Nanjing. The greater Taihu Lake region is now home to six major industries, including dyeing, chemical, paper-making, steel-making, plate-making and food manufacturing, which cause most part of the pollution in the lake.

The new regulations, which are expected to take effect on Jan 1st, 2008 and are deemed tougher than the national standards, seriously demand that the COD emissions of all waste waters discharged by the industries concerned must meet the A level of the First class national standard limit, requiring the minimum COD discharge amount of 50-60 mg per litre in sewage disposal.

In order to make the mentioned industries fulfill such rigid target, Jiangsu provincial government will allocate 2.7 billion yuan, or about US$357 million, to upgrade its about 170 sewage treatment plants in the province.

The new regulations demand that by the end of June, 2008 all cities and towns around the Taihu Lake must build up sewage disposal plants that release water in line with the tougher provincial emission limits.

The industries that may fail to meet the existing emission standards by the end of 2007 will be suspended until their waste water disposals reach the province's required standard. If they continue to fail to do so by the end of June, 2008, they will be shut down for good.

Taihu Lake has been suffering severe algae pollution since the end of May this year, making the provincial government determined to carry out stricter moves to control pollution in the Taihu Lake.

(Shanghai Daily August 1, 2007)