BEIJING, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers on Friday voted to pass the revised Water Law, which will take effect on March 22, 2027.
The revised law consists of nine chapters covering water resources planning, protection, development and utilization, water conservation, river and lake management, water project construction and operation, and legal liability, among other areas.
The law calls for prioritizing water conservation, promoting a balanced spatial distribution of water resources, and adopting a systematic approach to water governance, while harnessing the complementary roles of government and market mechanisms.
It also stresses comprehensive planning, coordinated management, integrated utilization and efficiency, alongside efforts to address both immediate problems and their root causes.
The law further calls for leveraging the multiple functions of water resources and coordinating the management of water resources, aquatic ecosystems, water environments and water-related disasters.
China's Water Law was first enacted in 1988 and underwent a major revision in 2002, followed by amendments in 2009 and 2016. The law provides a legal framework for the development, utilization, conservation and protection of water resources, as well as the prevention and control of water-related disasters.
China reported continued improvement in its water use efficiency in 2025, according to data from the Ministry of Water Resources.
Last year, China's water consumption per 10,000 yuan (about 1,489 U.S. dollars) of gross domestic product (GDP) declined 4.5 percent year on year, while water consumption per 10,000 yuan of industrial added value dropped 7.2 percent, the ministry data showed.
China's total water resources reached 2.72 trillion cubic meters in 2025. ■
