Clear water, lush green and swimming fish -- these are the defining features of Meishe River in Haikou, capital of south China's island province Hainan.
Dubbed the "mother river" of Haikou, Meishe was recently listed among "the country's 11 most beautiful hometown rivers" by the Ministry of Water Resources.
The river, stretching some 16 km, flows mostly through the city's main urban area. Prior to the 1990s, the river was clean and beautiful, but with economic development and population growth, it became severely polluted. Owing to the filthy aura and foul smell, locals living near the river dared not to open their windows in the summer, prompting many residents to relocate.
A ray of hope appeared in 2016 when a sewage treatment project was launched to treat the river water, with a focus on ecological restoration and improving people's livelihood.
"The root cause of the water pollution problem lies in the river banks," said Wu Tingfei, an official with the municipal water authority, noting that the key to successful treatment of the Meishe River is resolving the issue at its source and restoring the river's ecology to allow the water to purify itself.
The city took the lead in implementing the river chief system in the province, which significantly aided in the river water treatment and ensured the smooth execution of ecological restoration measures.
Thanks to the years of unwavering efforts, the Meishe River has come to life again.
"When I was young, the water was so clear that we kids used to often swim in the river in summer," said Wang Kaixuan, a local resident, adding that the water became dirty and smelly with the development of the city and nobody wanted to live there.
Hailing the government's remediation efforts, Wang said the scenery on both sides of the river has become more beautiful and the water has become clearer, attracting an increasing number of fish and birds. "Local residents often bring their kids here to play."
Fengxiang Wetland Park by the Meishe River has very lively scenes, with adults jogging or walking their dogs along the river, and children flying kites and playing on the lawn.
"It used to be a garbage dump and a smelly ditch, but now it has been transformed into a wetland park by the government," said Huang Zilu, a local resident who was having a picnic in the park with her family and friends.
The park boasts lovely views and a pleasant environment. It's an excellent spot for fitness and recreation and is ideal for bringing children to play, she added.
Since the beginning of this year, Hainan has initiated a comprehensive project which covers sewage treatment, ensuring water supplies, flood prevention, water conservation and seawater protection.
Water conservation is Hainan's top priority for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021 to 2025), and Meishe River can certainly be hailed as an example of a successful water treatment project in the province.
Wu said that Haikou will play a leading role in Hainan's water conservation campaign and 217 projects, with a total investment of 36.6 billion yuan (about 5.8 billion U.S. dollars), have been planned.
