China has a huge population that relies on the many waterways scattered across the vast nation. At a press conference this week, the country's Ecology and Environment ministry said the government continues to work to ensure the Chinese people have access to clean and safe water. This comes amid a recent social media firestorm over the shady practices of one company that may be illustrative of a larger problem. Ren Xueqian has the story.  

The Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, these are three of China's main economic engines, and all rely on clean water and waterways to function.

Chinese environmental authorities say systems are already in place to prevent and treat water pollution. The three economic regions also share and collaborate on water pollution issues normally associated with rapid urban development.

Across the country, officials are putting in place other measures to ensure waters remain clear. What's known as a river and lake chief system is currently being built up. River and lake chiefs are designated officials responsible for overseeing certain bodies of water. Despite these efforts, sore spots still remain.

ZHANG BO, DIRECTOR GENERAL WATER ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT MINISTRY OF ECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT "The problem of extensive development has not been fundamentally solved. And the construction of environmental infrastructure in towns and industrial zones is still deficient, and the ecological harm to water is still relatively common."

One case shows how the memo on China's anti-pollution efforts may not have reached certain sectors of society. The industrial chemical firm San Wei was at the center of a recent scandal. The Shanxi Province company was found to have been dumping its industrial waste and residue onto farmlands and a nearby river. San Wei was also revealed to have detained a CCTV reporter looking into the company's practices. Zhang says results of the on-going government investigation into the company will be released as soon as possible.

ZHANG BO, DIRECTOR GENERAL WATER ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT MINISTRY OF ECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT "This case makes me very angry, and I appreciate the media bringing this to light. Information disclosure is an important way to promote environmental protection. The Shanxi local government has already formed a working group for the investigation and ensure the event can be disposed of strictly by the relevant environmental law."

Zhang says San Wei's case should serve as a reminder that everyone in the country needs to be on board to protect the environment. He said some regions have to be extra vigilant so pollutants are supervised effectively, the government will protect waterways, forests, and grasslands, preserve and restore marine ecosystems, treat sewage and waste from urban areas, and address agricultural and rural pollution. Ren Xueqian, CGTN, Beijing.