Published ranking could improve water quality

The central government is requiring environmental protection authorities to release an annual ranking of cities based on their water quality this year — naming the best and worst cities — as a way to motivate policymakers in controlling water pollution.

It is part of a guideline released recently by the State Council General Office on making public the affairs of government.

The guideline listed the release of environmental information as a major issue, requiring that all the information on major environment accidents, including their impact and losses, should be made known to the public as well.

“The ranking on water quality could put pressure on cities, make them better curb pollution,” said Peng Yingdeng, a researcher from the Beijing Research Institute of Environmental Protection.

Previously, the Ministry of Environmental Protection has possessed monitoring data on water quality and made ranked lists of cities in terms of water pollution, but the lists are not released to the public, Peng said.

The monthly air quality ranking has worked in making cities with severe smog improve their efforts, and the water quality ranking could put pressure on the governments as well, Peng added.