Lianjiang's long road to renewal
After years of neglect, Guangdong river is slowly returning to former pristine glory
In 2018, after being named and shamed in a central environmental inspection, restoration efforts on the Lianjiang intensified. The Guangdong government established a comprehensive management team, implementing a five-tier river chief system to enforce pollution control. Upgraded sewage treatment plants and waste-to-energy facilities were built in Shantou and Jieyang, and all textile dyeing enterprises were relocated or merged into industrial parks for centralized treatment of pollution.
By 2020, the river's water quality had escaped from the lowest grade (Below Grade V) in China's six-tier surface water evaluation system in some areas, with sections free from black and odorous water. By 2023, the water quality at the Haimen Bay Bridge near the river's estuary consistently met Grade IV standards.
