By Gu Shuzhong, Huang Wenqing & Li Weiming, Members of Research Team on “Long-term Mechanism Framework for Quality Protection of Water Source in Mid-line Area of South-to-North Water Diversion Project”, Research Institute of Resources and Environment Policies, the DRC

Research Report, No 117, 2016 (Total NO 5000) 2016-9-06

Abstract: A scientific and effective management system is the prerequisite and foundation to effectively protect water quality. The mid-line area for South-to-North Water Diversion Project has basically formed a water quality protection management system integrating river basin management with administrative management, project construction management with operation management, and the joint conference system with coordination groups. However, there are problems of overlapped responsibilities between water-related departments, dual leadership of related administrative organs, inadequate functions of management by organizations in the river basin and the lack of legal status for the joint conference system. It is suggested that we divide the project into short-term and long-term phases, entrust relevant power to department-level joint conference system with authoritative status, optimize organizational form of this system, transform the function of the construction committee of South-to-North Water Diversion Project, establish an overall evaluation system for ecological civilization building, construct national ecological civilization experiment areas, promote vertical management of monitoring, supervision and law enforcement by environmental protection agencies, make pilot practice in merging ministries with overlapping functions relating to resources, environment and ecology, set up special zones taking water resource protection as the core goal, and deepen reform of structural management system of water source quality protection in the mid-line area.

Key words: mid-line of South-to-North Water Diversion Project, management system, water source area, water quality protection