The draft amendment to the Water Law (hereby referred to as “draft amendment”) was submitted on April 27 to the 22nd Session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) for deliberation. The draft amendment consists of nine chapters and 91 articles, comprehensively implements the requirements for enhancing water security capabilities.
Sources said that the amendment of the Water Law has been included in the legislation plan of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress and the 2026 annual legislation work plan. The draft amendment mainly focuses on clarifying the overall requirements for the development of water undertakings; strengthening the development, utilization, and management of water resources; enhancing water allocation management and promoting water conservation and intensive use; reinforcing the management and protection of rivers and lakes; regulating the construction and operation of water projects; and improving legal accountability.
When presenting the draft amendment to the Water Law at the Standing Committee session, Mr. Li Guoying, Minister of Water Resources of China, noted that the current Water Law was enacted in 1988, underwent major revision in 2002, and had certain provisions amended in 2009 and 2016. Currently, the development of water sector is facing new circumstances, and economic and social development as well as improvements in people’s living standards have placed higher demands on water security. Addressing issues such as water resource shortages requires even more robust and effective institutional measures. Therefore, it is necessary to amend and improve the law based on the experience gained from its implementation.
Li Guoying stated that, in terms of the overall approach, the draft amendment focuses on three main aspects. First, it translates the new decisions and policy arrangements on the development and utilization of water resources into institutional provisions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on the protection, conservation, and rational development and utilization of water resources into institutional provisions, and implements the requirements of water governance principles for a new era. Second, it adopted a problem-oriented approach and aimed at improving institutional design by focusing on key links and prominent issues in safeguarding national water security under the new circumstances, therefore enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of the revision. Third, it defines the fundamental and comprehensive legal positioning of the Water Law, and ensures proper coordination and alignment with other water-related laws and administrative regulations.
For instance, the draft amendment sets up a dedicated chapter on “the management and protection of rivers and lakes”, providing for the establishment of a regular census system for rivers and lakes, clarifying the principles and institutional framework for their management, and strictly regulating river-related construction projects and river sand mining. It prohibits the transport, purchase, or sale of sand, gravel, and soil extracted from river channels by any entity or individual without legally obtained mining permits.
Original Source: Xinhua
Journalist: Wang Xue
Translation: INTCE