(adopted on May 11, 1984)
(amended on May 15, 1996)
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1 This Law is enacted for the purposes of preventing and
controlling water pollution, protecting and improving the
environment, safeguarding human health, ensuring effective
utilization of water resources and promoting progress of the
socialist modernization drive.
Article 2 This Law applies to prevention and control of
pollution of rivers, lakes, canals, irrigation channels, reservoirs
and other surface water bodies and of ground water bodies within
the territory of the People's Republic of China.
This Law is not applicable to prevention and control of marine
pollution, which is provided for by a separate law.
Article 3 Relevant departments under the State Council and local
people's governments at various levels must incorporate protection
of the water environment into their plans and adopt ways and
measures to prevent and control water pollution...