a quarterly report released by shenzhen's environmental protection authorities shows the city had better air quality in the fourth quarter of 2015 compared with the same period in 2014, but water pollution remains, the shenzhen economic daily reported yesterday.
the spokesperson of the city's environment department said the crackdown on air pollution sources and stepped-up inspections and punishment of companies that discharge volatile organic compounds and pollutants contributed to the improvement in air quality in the fourth quarter last year.
according to the report, eight hazy days were recorded in the fourth quarter last year, down by 28 days compared with the same period in 2014.
the spokesperson said cold air and winds from the south helped improve air quality in the fourth quarter, while effective air pollution control in other cities in the pearl river delta also helped.
the report revealed that water quality in the huanggang, xixiang, xinzhou and futian rivers grew worse in the fourth quarter last year. pollution in the dashahe, maozhou, guanlan and buji rivers lessened.
the spokesperson said untreated wastewater was directly discharged from sewage plants into the xixiang river during the dry season, while household sewage from residential areas along the river also hurt water quality.
meanwhile, the poor separation of rainfall and sewage worsened water quality in the huanggang, xinzhou and futian rivers, making the completion of a citywide sewage pipe network urgent.
2016 has been labeled the "year of urban management" by the city government, with goals to build a sewage pipe system and upgrade water treatment plants in the luofang and shekou areas.
a total of 448 cases involving environmental violations were treated in the fourth quarter of last year, with penalties of 30.93 million yuan (us$4.76 million). eighty-six companies were fined over 100,000 yuan. seventy-four companies were ordered to stop operating.
