The water authority in Taicang city, Jiangsu province, is adopting ecological measures to improve the river environment and promote ecological progress.

The authority has put some bio-floating beds growing water spinach (kongxin cai) in the Chenjing River. The water spinach is a kind of aquatic plant that is able to degrade pollutants and dilute the concentration of algae.

Bio-floating beds with water plants.[Photo/Asianews Photo]

In addition, more floating beds have been put in other rivers to improve the rivers' self-purification capability. More than 750 square meters of floating water plants have been grown in rivers in urban areas, including the Loujiang River and Dongcheng River.

Bio-floating beds with water plants.[Photo/Asianews Photo]

Bio-floating beds made of plastic foam can take advantage of the foam's buoyancy to provide aquatic plants with a stable environment. Aquatic plants can offer a balanced environment for plants and microbes, restore the ecological system and improve the self-purifying capacity of rivers.

The city also strengthens water quality improvement in rural areas. This year, it has constructed ecological bank revetments with an area of 49.93 hectares, as well as water plant areas with a total length of 65.68 km.