Plans to further improve the Zhuhai ecological environment and build waterborne tourism were announced Dec 15 by the city government. They call for 590 km (366 miles) of new green corridors by 2035.

Specifically, the city will have completed 32.16 km (20 miles) of green channels this year, 220.9 km (137 miles) by 2022, and 261.8 km (136 miles) by 2025. Nineteen green channels totaling 189 km (117 miles) will be built in demonstrative countryside areas for rural rejuvenation.

Green channel in Mangzhou Wetland Park [Photo courtesy Zhuhai River Chief System Office & Zhuhai Water Affairs Bureau]

To date, major work has been completed on seven of eight city-level pilot green channels at Xiangzhou District's Xiangshan Lake, Doumen's Huangyang River, Jinwan's Hongqi and 2nd Main Discharge rivers and Sanzao Bay Seawall, the Gaolan Port Economic Zone's Lianwanchong Creek, and the National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone (Tangjiawan)'s Dong'an and Jishan drainage channels. Signs are being erected and maintenance is underway.

Of note, Tianmu River-Mangzhou Wetland Park section in Hengqin New Area has been selected into the pilot green channel construction in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Supplementing the green channels, the Zhuhai Ecology & Environment Bureau continues to improve and protect the water environment. It is treating pollution discharge outlets along 760 km (472 miles) of green channels, said Zhou Yong, head of the bureau's Water & Marine Ecological Environment Section.

Moreover, Zhuhai now has 19 sewage treatment plants with daily capacity of 935,100 tons. The rate of urban sewage treatment was 96.62 percent in 2019 and is expected to exceed 95 percent this year.

As of late September, the city had installed 5,585 km (3,470 miles) of drainage pipelines, of which 2,015 km (1,252 miles) are for sewage, 2,940 km (1,827 miles) for rainwater, and 630 km (391 miles) for a combination, said Liang Jieming, chief engineer of the Water Affairs Bureau.

Taking advantage of the green channels, Zhuhai will organize mass sport activities, innovate water-related folk activities, and open water-culture-themed travel routes to increase the allure of rural tourism.

The Overall Plan of Zhuhai Green Channel Construction (2020-35) was compiled by the Zhuhai River Chief System Office and given the go-ahead Sept 27.