New national drinking water quality standards that become effective June 1 in the People's Republic of China will include requirements to monitor 101 contaminants, nearly a threefold increase from the current 35, according to a news release distributed by Xinhuanet, a Beijing-based online news service.
The new regulations also will require increased monitoring of 27 organic substances, a response to the country's "worsening industrial liquid wastes discharge and pesticide contamination," according to a Chinese Construction Ministry official, the report said.
In addition, the new standards establish more stringent testing requirements for disinfection byproducts resulting from water purification and set a 1-year deadline for water suppliers to update their equipment accordingly, the report noted.
Finally, the regulations for the first time will require water quality monitoring to be conducted at the "water faucet" level, as well as at the water supply network level, where compliance now is measured, the report says. The new standards will replace those in effect in China since 1985, the report noted.
Source: CCM
