Opinion | Mainland editorial declares war on water pollution
Authorities must find a way tackle the problem of groundwater pollution urgently or face an acute shortage of clean water in future.
Beijing’s official mouthpiece called for a “declaration of war” in the new Lunar Year on “unscrupulous enterprises” engaged in the illegal and often secretive discharge of untreated waste into waterways. It urged the public and netizens to help.
There has been speculation on microblogging site Sina Weibo recently about companies using high-pressure wells to pump chemical discharge directly into the ground and sometimes into underground caves.
The editorial said local governments were only compounding the problem by upholding lax environmental regulations and shielding “superstar" companies, deemed too important, from punishment.