Supported by key projects and general projects from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, related initiatives under the Water Pollution Control and Treatment Project, and projects from Shanghai Chengtou Raw Water Co., Ltd., this project started from the ecological niche characteristics of harmful algae and proposed a green in-situ algae inhibition and odor control technology centered on “light adjustment.” Qingcaosha Reservoir is a newly built raw water reservoir in Shanghai, with a daily supply capacity of 5 million m³, serving approximately 13 million urban residents in Shanghai. Since its establishment, the reservoir has faced seasonal odor issues. Starting in 2020, the technology R&D team leveraged the natural high turbidity of the Yangtze River’s raw water to regulate the light conditions in the reservoir by introducing gravity flow, effectively inhibiting the growth of odor-causing algae. This resulted in a reduction of over 80% in odor-producing substances, essentially resolving the long-standing odor problem that had plagued the reservoir. The project marks a strategic shift from “passive response” to “active prevention,” significantly ensuring the drinking water safety for over 10 million residents in Shanghai. Prior to this, the project had already been recognized as one of the key achievements, winning the 2023 National First Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress.

The World Green Design Organization (WGDO), as the first non-profit international organization dedicated to promoting the development of green design, was established in Brussels, Belgium, in 2013. It is an official registration body of the European Union and holds special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The “Green Design Engineering Award” aims to recognize outstanding engineering projects worldwide that systematically apply green design concepts and achieve goals of pollution reduction, carbon reduction, and carbon neutrality. This award serves not only as an authoritative recognition of green engineering achievements but also as an important banner guiding the industry toward a sustainable future.

Introduction

Many secrets of “good water” are hidden in everyday life. Did you know how ancient people discerned water quality at a glance? Do you know how modern water treatment plants turn turbid raw water into safe drinking water? From the Qingcaosha Reservoir to the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, from the century-old legend of chlorination to the latest technologies like nano-flocculation, ozone-activated carbon, and ultrafiltration membranes—every drop of water undergoes layers of scientific and engineering protection.

Source: kepu.net.cn

The next day at the hotel, my nose felt dry and my throat ached—a reminder that the arid climate was an even more persistent “resident” than altitude sickness. We asked the front desk for plenty of water and began hydrating frantically. Professor Su had yet to arrive, so we had a day to rest and acclimatize. I decided to visit the Potala Palace with my senior colleague Xiao Ai and Yang Ziyi. Halfway up the hill, Xiao Ai said his heart rate was too high and he wasn’t feeling well, so he turned back to the hotel, leaving Yang Ziyi and me to continue. The sight inside the palace was breathtaking: golden statues glowed under the light of butter lamps, and countless small Buddha relics were enshrined in glass cases. The stupas of the Dalai Lamas, crafted from pure gold and studded with turquoise and red coral, stood tall—the more illustrious the lama, the grander the stupa. A sweet fragrance of milk and honey seeped from the walls—legend has it that the plaster was mixed with fresh milk and honey. The dazzling splendor before me was a treasure of Chinese culture, yet it also reminded me of the exploited serfs in history books. Beneath the gilded glory lay countless untold folds of suffering.

When Professor Su arrived in the afternoon, he was in worse shape than any of us, suffering severe altitude sickness. We brought him rhodiola and glucose. On the third day, we set off for Namtso Lake, but Professor Su had to leave early for other commitments. We rented a Tank 300, but as we climbed to 4,000 meters, Xiao Ai’s condition worsened, and he struggled to breathe. The driver rushed him to the hospital, where the doctor advised him to leave Tibet immediately. That night, he returned to Lhasa and booked a flight back to Beijing, leaving only Yang Ziyi, the driver, and me to continue the journey.

Sampling at Namtso Lake remains etched in my memory. There are only two months each year when boats can venture onto the lake, but the high winds made it too risky, so we had to work along the shore. As luck would have it, the weather turned against us—no sooner had we set up our equipment than a blizzard descended, the wind howling and the temperature plunging to -10°C, the cold air cutting like knives. Every five minutes, we had to retreat to the car to warm up. The biggest challenge was collecting mud: the dredger was useless in the shallow water, so we resorted to scooping it out by hand, plunging our fingers into the icy water until they went numb. But when I looked up, I was met with a miracle—the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains on the opposite shore were bathed in golden light, their snow-capped peaks gleaming like silver mirrors inlaid with gold foil. Sadly, my frozen fingers couldn’t manage a photo, and the memory remains a bittersweet regret.

On the way to Serling Lake, we encountered herds of Tibetan gazelles leaping across the grasslands, but soon another snowstorm struck. Visibility in the uninhabited area dropped to less than five meters, and the driver, hesitant to proceed, slowed to a crawl. Fortunately, the snow stopped after an hour, and we made it through safely. That night, we stayed in the world’s highest-altitude county town (I can’t recall the name). At the hotel, both of us felt chilled and feverish, and my chest tightened with dizziness—was this the effect of 5,000 meters? Yang Ziyi relied on oxygen to cope, while I, in slightly better shape, abstained. We drank copious amounts of hot water and gradually felt better. The next morning, the air was still painfully dry, and my nostrils were lined with blood. Sampling at Serling Lake went smoothly, though hauling the equipment a kilometer to the shore through thick snow was no small feat. Compared to Namtso’s blizzard, this felt like a stroke of luck.

Our final stop was Yamdrok Lake. On the way to Shigatse, we passed the 3A-rated Karola Glacier and paused at the Yarlung Zangbo River Valley to take photos with Tibetan mastiffs. Herds of yaks grazed on the snow-dusted meadows, and the turquoise lake lay like scattered gemstones across the land. Sampling day at Yamdrok Lake was blessed with clear skies, and we drove straight to the shore—everything went smoothly, as if to prove that all beginnings are hard, but persistence brings ease.

And so, the Tibet journey came to an end. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to have experienced it. Though there were hardships—numb fingers in the snow, throbbing temples from altitude sickness, and blood-crusted nostrils—they became medals of honor after witnessing Tibet’s unparalleled beauty. This trip taught me that the greatest wonders of the world are never found on smooth paths. Only by enduring thin air and biting winds can one touch the pristine sanctity of nature.

Compared to the profound memories of Tibet, my time in Zhuhai was far more mundane. Cultivating algae, counting algae, collecting reservoir samples, preserving and testing them—then downloading useful data from Brother Bin’s database. The water quality monitoring center was well-equipped, capable of testing over 130 indicators, making the process much smoother than back at the institute. I’m also deeply grateful to the team at the center for their unwavering support. The only downside was the local cuisine—roast meats, duck, goose, and pork knuckle rice didn’t suit my palate, leaving me stumped at every meal.

Zhuhai’s climate, however, was a dream. With minimal seasonal variation, winters hovered around 17–18°C, allowing the same wardrobe year-round—no need for a down jacket. Summers were particularly stunning: the sky a clear sapphire, clouds like cotton candy drifting overhead. Even at 9 p.m., the sky retained enough brilliance for photos, a testament to its reputation as a livable city.

The coastal Lover’s Road was a highlight. At sunset, cycling along the breeze, the air pristine and refreshing, the scene was straight out of a movie—golden light, sandy beaches, banana trees, and the sea, all framed by couples whispering sweet nothings. Despite the fading light, the atmosphere brimmed with youthful vitality.

Further along the road lay the Love Post Office, the Zhuhai Fisher Girl statue, and the Shell Theater. The post office housed love letters to the future, padlock mementos, and message walls, all bearing witness to young romance. The 8.7-meter-tall Fisher Girl statue, holding a pearl, stood as a symbol of Zhuhai’s maritime culture, weathering storms and time alike. The Shell Theater, with its twin-shell design evoking the sun and moon, took on a futuristic glow at night. Its resemblance to the Sydney Opera House made me feel like I’d “been to Sydney.” Zhuhai’s archipelago, dubbed the “Thousand-Island City,” also held gems like Wailingding Island, where the national hero Wen Tianxiang once fought valiantly, later penning his immortal line in prison: “Since ancient times, no one has escaped death—let my loyalty illuminate history.” Though I haven’t visited yet, the island’s rich history has already captured my imagination.

In November 2024, I attended the Zhuhai Airshow and witnessed the debut of the J-35, making China the second country after the U.S. to possess two fifth-generation stealth fighters. The roar of the J-20 and J-35 overhead filled me with pride—a feeling that lingers to this day. I still remember the 2016 South China Sea standoff, when China’s navy faced down two U.S. carrier strike groups with sheer determination. Now, with three carrier battle groups, carrier-capable J-35s, and sixth-gen fighters like the J-36 and J-50 leading the world, the tables have turned. It’s only a matter of time before Taiwan is reunited, America is surpassed, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is realized.

Focusing on Winam Gulf in Africa’s largest lake, this project investigates growth patterns and key drivers of toxin- and odor-producing algae under stable low-latitude temperatures. It aims to develop a big data-based early warning system for algal-related water quality issues and propose nutrient management strategies for terrestrial systems. The research will provide scientific foundations for local and international policymaking while supporting Kenya and neighboring countries in achieving SDG6 targets.

Dr. Yang presented the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences’ key research domains and international collaboration priorities. Professor Chen shared preliminary findings from Victoria Lake studies, while Researcher Ming Su outlined the project framework. Engineer Yirong Zhou from Lihe Technology introduced plans for demonstration laboratory construction. Subsequent discussions explored implementation strategies and future cooperation prospects, with particular emphasis on personnel exchanges and capacity building. The meeting also featured a special presentation by Professor Dennis Ochuodho, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Odinga University of Science and Technology, on bamboo-based agroforestry restoration projects supported by the CAS-Sino-Africa Center through UNEP-IEMP.

Following the renewal of their MoU in October 2024, the delegation visited UNEP headquarters’ Ecosystems Division and Early Warning and Assessment Division to explore potential collaborations in water quality monitoring and nutrient management, with both parties committing to enhanced cooperation.

The delegation additionally visited Machakos University, Kisumu Water Purification Plant, and the Southern Lake Victoria Basin Office to identify capacity-building and collaborative research needs, laying groundwork for strengthened Sino-Kenyan scientific cooperation.

Equipment photo

On the 10th, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Gunawardena met with a delegation of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Center for Eco-Environmental Research in Colombo, who were in Sri Lanka to participate in a series of seminars on sustainable development.

Gunawardena expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Chinese scientists for their contributions to improving the livelihoods of the Sri Lankan people. He stated that the efforts of the Chinese scientists are invaluable to Sri Lanka and its people. He believes that this series of seminars will pave the way for new research and cooperation, and hopes that both sides will achieve new results from their collaboration. Sri Lanka will provide all possible assistance for the cooperative projects.

Zhu Yongguan, Director of the Center for Eco-Environmental Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, stated that China and Sri Lanka need to enhance overall thinking and comprehensive cooperation to jointly address the global challenge of climate change. He noted that this meeting has effectively promoted exchanges and cooperation in the field of climate change between China, Sri Lanka, and other countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

During the meeting, Yang Min, a researcher from the Center for Eco-Environmental Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, introduced Gunawardena to the research progress and recent achievements of the China-Sri Lanka Joint Research and Demonstration Center for Water Technology. He emphasized that the Chinese side will spare no effort in helping Sri Lanka develop solutions to ensure safe drinking water.

The series of seminars on sustainable development was jointly organized by China and Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has always faced challenges regarding water safety. Since 2015, Chinese scientists have been exploring ways to provide clean water to the people of Sri Lanka and have achieved initial success. In the same year, Hong Kong also participated in the China-Sri Lanka water project, sharing experiences in water quality monitoring and sewage treatment. On July 12, 2024, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Gunawardena met with researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Center for Eco-Environmental Research in Colombo, thanking Chinese scientists for their contributions to improving local livelihoods, especially in drinking water safety.

Located in the tropics, Sri Lanka experiences a rainy season that lasts for several months each year, with the rain coming and going quickly. Although Sri Lanka is not short of water, drinking water safety remains an unresolved issue, and the uneven distribution of water resources has led to a high incidence of chronic kidney disease. In 2015, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Sri Lanka jointly established the China-Sri Lanka Joint Research and Demonstration Center for Water Technology, and built several applied water treatment demonstration projects in Long Village. Over the past decade, these projects have provided safe drinking water to approximately 4,000 villagers and 1,300 students.

In early July, experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences visited Long Village to review the drinking water plan and held a series of sustainable development seminars on topics including water technology sharing and improving air quality in developing countries. Over the next 10 years, it is hoped that better results will be achieved. In the same year, Hong Kong also participated in this China-Sri Lanka water project. Hong Kong Water Supplies Department Director, Xu Haoguang, shared Hong Kong’s unique experiences in sewage treatment and water quality monitoring, trained local personnel in seawater monitoring, and donated two sets of air and ocean simulation models.

Hong Kong is also a tropical region, with natural conditions similar to those in Sri Lanka. In 2015, the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department and the Central Environmental Authority of Sri Lanka signed a memorandum of cooperation. Sri Lanka, in its efforts to rebuild its economy, hopes to achieve a sustainable green economy through technological innovation. China has expressed its hope to bring its experience in ecological civilization construction to Sri Lanka while bringing enterprises along the industrial chain overseas, promoting the development of the Belt and Road Initiative. Reported by Yang Shiyuan of Phoenix TV.

Drinking water safety is a matter of life and health for everyone. China boasts the world’s most complex water source quality and the largest water supply system.

For over 20 years, Qu Juhui, a researcher at the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has led a collaborative team across government, industry, academia, and end users. Together, they overcame numerous technical and managerial challenges in addressing complex water sources and supply conditions, ensuring safe drinking water for urban and rural residents from source to tap.

More information

Mitigating harmful cyanobacterial blooms is a global challenge, particularly crucial for safeguarding source water. Given the limitations of current technologies for application in drinking water reservoirs, we propose an innovative strategy based on in-situ sediment resuspension (SR). This method’s effectiveness in cyanobacterial control and its potential impacts on water quality were assessed through laboratory culture experiments and further validated via field applications in five drinking water reservoirs. The results revealed that SR could significantly mitigate cyanobacterial growth, evidenced by the treated sets (removal rate: 3.82×10⁶ cells L^-1 d^-1) compared to the control set (growth rate: 2.22×10⁷ cells L^-1 d^-1) according to the laboratory experiments. The underlying mechanisms identified included underwater light reduction (2.38× increase in extinction coefficient) and flocculation and entrainment of cells by resuspended particles (30% reduction per operation). Additional contributions were noted in the reduction of bioavailable phosphate and remediation of anaerobic sediment characterized by increased redox potential. This facilitated the oxidation of iron, which in turn promoted the co-precipitation of phosphate (removal rate: 46 μg L^-1 d^-1) and inhibited its release from the sediment. The SR operation, devoid of importing extra substances, represents a safe and economical technology for controlling harmful cyanobacteria in drinking water reservoirs.

Source: XinhuaNet

Source: CCTV2

Source: Chinese Academy of Sciences

source: kepu.cn

Prof. Min Yang, along with his team, has rigorously and systematically elucidated the challenges and practical issues faced by China in ensuring drinking water safety. Leveraging the power of technological innovation, Professor Yang and his team have conducted in-depth research and made technological breakthroughs in key areas ranging from source water protection to water quality testing and purification. Their work is closely aligned with the needs of the people, aiming to eliminate public concerns about drinking water quality and ensure that every drop of water entering households meets safety standards through technological means. Their contributions not only disseminate scientific knowledge but also demonstrate humanistic care, clearly demonstrating how research progress is gradually transformed into practical applications, thereby significantly enhancing China’s water security level. Reading this article helps the public understand and appreciate the diligent efforts and remarkable achievements of researchers in ensuring the most basic life requirement of the people—drinking safe water—a significant issue in popularizing scientific and technological knowledge, reflecting the development of the times, and caring for the well-being of the people.

Introduction

People are familiar with highly eutrophic water bodies such as Lake Taihu and Lake Dianchi, where abundant nutrients, high water temperatures, and suitable light conditions can lead to the occurrence of blue-green algae blooms. However, there is another type of water body that serves as an important source of drinking water. These water sources have overall lower nutrient levels but still face issues related to algal odor.

Based on a ten-year investigation of water quality in 55 cities and 209 water plants, conducted by the team led by Yang Min from the Ecological Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, it was found that nearly half (41%) of the water bodies in these relatively good-quality reservoir water sources have problems with algal odor. This has forced water plants to adopt activated carbon adsorption or advanced treatment methods to remove odor-causing substances from the water. The primary odor-causing substances derived from algae are 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) and geosmin, which respectively cause the water to have a “musty” and “earthy” odor. These substances have been newly included as mandatory standards in the “Hygienic Standard for Drinking Water” (GB5749-2022). In China, issues related to the odor of drinking water caused by MIB are more common. While MIB was initially found in actinobacterial metabolites, it was later confirmed that filamentous cyanobacteria are a more significant source in drinking water sources. Therefore, why do these filamentous cyanobacteria that produce odor-causing MIB tend to grow in drinking water sources? Can suitable prevention and control methods be found for drinking water sources?

((Reservoir OR Lake OR "Source Water" OR "Drinking Water" OR "Fresh Water")
AND
(Phytoplankton OR Algae OR Cyanobacteria* OR "taste and odor" OR "off-flavor" OR "odorant" OR "geosmin" OR "MIB" OR "2-Methylisoborneol"))
OR
(("Ecolog* niche" OR "competition" OR "succession")
AND
(Phytoplankton OR Algae OR Cyanobacteria*)
AND
(Reservoir OR Lake OR "Source Water" OR "Drinking Water" OR "Fresh Water"))

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Source: China Network

Editor’s Note: The “Discussion” interview program is jointly produced by the Journal of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the China Internet News Center. Through interviews with academicians and expert scholars from the two academies, it delves into the development prospects of various fields of Chinese society as it enters the “14th Five-Year Plan” period. With objective and precise interpretation, scientific and forward-thinking analysis, it aims to unravel the mysteries of China’s development at the intersection of the “Two Centenary Goals” and contribute intellectual strength to achieving the second centenary goal.

Discuss and deliberate, seek strategies and explore solutions.

China Network / China Development Portal News: Drinking water safety directly affects human health and has always been a major issue of public concern. It is of great significance to build a scientific and technological innovation system for ensuring the safety of drinking water in China. How does the power of technology help address the prominent issues of rural drinking water safety in China? What achievements have Chinese scientists and technologists made to support the “Three Waters Governance”? How does China’s technology for ensuring drinking water safety help countries along the “Belt and Road” initiative? In response to these questions, “Discussion” interviewed Researcher Min Yang, Deputy Director of the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

China Network: Last year, 79.6% of the problem clues transferred and verified by the Ministry of Water Resources’ 12314 Supervision and Reporting Platform were related to rural drinking water safety. Does the construction of a scientific and technological innovation system for ensuring drinking water safety help address the deficiencies and gaps in this area?

Min Yang: The issue of rural drinking water has always been a concern of our team. Relatively speaking, our country did not invest much in technology in this area in the past few years. Of course, the country has attached great importance to it in recent years and has done a lot of work. The main work of our team is to break through the two world problems of arsenic and fluoride removal from groundwater. High levels of arsenic and fluoride in groundwater can affect human health. In the areas where groundwater is used as a water source in our country, these two substances have been a long-term health hazard. In recent years, we have focused on these two challenges and made breakthroughs. After years of effort, our team has made breakthroughs in arsenic and fluoride removal, applied them in water improvement projects in dozens of villages, and played a good role in poverty alleviation efforts in Inner Mongolia and other places. At the same time, these technologies are also being promoted to countries along the “Belt and Road” initiative.

Rural drinking water systems are small in scale, and disinfection effects are often unstable. There is a lack of a very suitable disinfection technology for application in small-scale water supply systems. Currently, our team is also working on developing disinfection technologies suitable for small-scale water supply systems, including ultraviolet disinfection technology, to provide better protection for biological risk control in rural water supply.

In addition, besides technical issues, there are also problems with the supply mode of rural drinking water. We are also cooperating with the government and enterprises to address these issues. For example, through third parties or through some large-scale, market-oriented mechanisms, we aim to improve the capability to ensure the safety of rural drinking water from the perspective of water supply scope and scale.

China Network: Each link of the “Three Waters Governance” - water pollution control, water ecosystem restoration, and water resource protection - relies on monitoring. What role does the proposal of this systematic solution play in improving monitoring technology and quality?

Min Yang: In fact, the source of drinking water is the water in our environment, from rivers, lakes, to groundwater. “Three Waters Governance” aims to prevent water pollution and ensure water resources. It is essential to protect the water source, which includes preventing water pollution. Over the years, we have conducted long-term monitoring and investigation of drinking water. From the “Eleventh Five-Year Plan” to the “Thirteenth Five-Year Plan”, we have been conducting surveys of key urban water sources nationwide. What sets these surveys apart from routine monitoring is that we do not limit ourselves to monitoring the indicators specified in the drinking water standards. Instead, we expand the scope to include more indicators, such as more than 700 in total, covering various potential pollutants. Through these investigations, we have discovered some new pollutants, such as perchlorate, sulfides, perfluorinated compounds, etc. Through extensive national surveys, we found that these pollutants have a relatively large pollution surface in China and have a significant impact on water quality. We have included them in the revision of the “Hygienic Standard for Drinking Water”. Some are included in mandatory standards, and some are included in reference indicators. Therefore, through the research of our team, the level of risk control for drinking water in our country has also been improved.

China Network: What are the biggest challenges in achieving breakthroughs in core key technologies during the research process?

Min Yang: Drinking water is a system directly related to thousands of households, and water plants are very large in scale. The technology used must be safe and cannot use various chemical agents indiscriminately. At the same time, it requires low cost, which greatly limits the choice of technologies. When developing drinking water technology, our first consideration must be green, using as few chemical agents as possible, and using natural or physical methods to purify water. For example, in terms of water source restoration, we do not use chemical agents like copper sulfate, which is used abroad to control algae, because this method is harmful to the ecosystem. So we use some natural methods to solve the problem of algae causing odors.

In water plants, we try to make the technology as simple as possible and not too complicated. It should be implementable at an acceptable cost. We think the challenge is relatively large in this aspect, but it also brings us a lot of joy. By meeting these challenges, we can find many new ideas and technologies.

China Network: You mentioned earlier that some of the developed technologies for ensuring drinking water safety are also being promoted to countries along the “Belt and Road” initiative. Could you provide some specific examples?

Min Yang: It can be said that the issue of drinking water safety is a major challenge for countries along the “Belt and Road” initiative. Many countries are greatly restricted in terms of water sources, and at the same time, they are economically underdeveloped, making it difficult to develop good water treatment and safety technologies to improve the level of drinking water safety. Therefore, we focus on developing some technologies for the challenges faced by developing countries in water supply and apply them. For example, in Sri Lanka, in some dry areas in the north, mainly rely on groundwater as a source of drinking water. Later, it was found that there was a prevalence of kidney disease in areas using groundwater for drinking. A team of experts from the World Health Organization conducted a two-year investigation, but ultimately did not find the real cause. The Sri Lankan government invited a team of experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences to participate in some of their investigations and research. Because the environmental causes of disease are certainly complex, we organized a multidisciplinary team, including experts in public health and medicine from Peking University Hospital, Beijing CDC (Beijing Municipal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), as well as Peking University and Fudan University, to discuss the causes. It was found that there are likely some factors in groundwater, such as hardness, fluoride ions, and sodium ions. Although a single factor at high concentrations may not be a problem, when these ions are all high, it may cause kidney damage. We confirmed this phenomenon through animal experiments. The local government also recognized the results of our experiments and invited us to improve the local drinking water system. We proposed a technology called electrodialysis, which can selectively remove harmful ions, and applied it locally. This technology is relatively low-cost and has good results, so the local government also recognizes it. Now they are proposing whether this electrodialysis technology can benefit the local people through cooperation and promote this technology together.

Of course, there are other technologies as well, such as ecological protection technologies for drinking water sources. With the support of the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar, we have promoted it to some villages in Myanmar. The engineering implementation plan has been completed, and construction is about to begin on-site this year.

China Network: The research results of this issue won the Outstanding Scientific and Technological Achievement Award of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2021. What positive impacts will it have on the development of disciplines?

Min Yang: Our research is quite different from traditional drinking water research. Traditionally, it is called water supply engineering, mainly focusing on water plants and pipeline distribution. We have expanded the research field to extend to the water source, including the protection and restoration of the water source. At the same time, we also regard management as an important content for research. Conducting research on drinking water in China to see what risks our drinking water has, and then formulating drinking water standards for China to ensure drinking water safety. Therefore, we cover the entire process from the water source to the water plant to the pipeline. At the same time, we also cover a wide range from engineering technology to management technology, which should be our contribution to the discipline of drinking water.

China Network: As a leading scientific and technological worker in the field of drinking water quality risk assessment and control, what research directions will you and your team focus on next?

Min Yang: Drinking water safety is not just a technical issue. Drinking water safety mainly depends on the safety of the water source. Any human activity in the environment will affect drinking water safety. Our country now has the most complete industrial chain in the world, and from another perspective, various chemical production and usage activities in our country are the strongest. As a result, the production, circulation, and consumption of these chemicals will ultimately affect (drinking water safety), as they will be discharged into the water source to some extent. Therefore, we need to build a barrier against chemical pollution caused by human activities on the water source. Firstly, we need to know what substances are in the water source. Currently, there are more than 100 indicators in the “Hygienic Standard for Drinking Water”, but in reality, there are thousands of chemicals used by humans. Next, we are also undertaking a key research and development project, mainly focusing on the two major river basins of the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, which are also the two most important water sources in our country, with a large number of industries along the coast. What harmful substances are discharged into the water, how to identify these substances, and what preventive measures to propose after identifying them, these are the major tasks we will focus on in the next step.

Of course, there are many other aspects, such as how to effectively remove chemical pollutants that enter these waters, and we also need to develop some new technologies for removing pollutants. Currently, water enters every household through a huge underground pipeline network after leaving the water plant. It is difficult to control the water quality during the underground distribution. What is the relationship between the changes in water quality and the conditions of external water sources and water plant processes? By studying these relationships, proposing control measures to prevent deterioration of drinking water after entering the pipeline network, these are the directions we will focus on in the next step.

(Planning of this issue: Yang Liuchun, Wang Zhenhong; editing: Yang Liuchun, Wang Zhenhong, Wang Qian; editing: Wang Qian, Wu Yinan; camera/post-production: Zhu Fashuai. Produced by: Journal of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Internet News Center; Production: China Network, China Development Portal)

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