On the 21st, the reporter learned from the Ningxia Department of Ecology and Environment that recently, the department, together with the Ningxia Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Water Resources, formulated and issued the "Plan for Delineating Key Areas for Groundwater Pollution Prevention and Control in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (Trial)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"), to comprehensively promote zoned management and tiered prevention and control of the groundwater ecological environment, and to explore the establishment of a management and control system for key areas of groundwater pollution prevention and control in Ningxia.

　　With the goal of establishing a scientific, precise, and efficient management and control system for key areas of groundwater pollution prevention and control, the "Plan" divides the key areas for groundwater pollution prevention and control in Ningxia into two categories: protection areas and management and control areas, with a total area of 2,460.33 square kilometers, accounting for 3.70% of Ningxia's area. Among them, the protection areas cover 597.60 square kilometers and, based on the situation of groundwater-type drinking water sources, are divided into first-level protection zones, second-level protection zones, and quasi-protection zones (recharge areas); the management and control areas cover 1,862.73 square kilometers and, based on the results of groundwater function value assessment and groundwater vulnerability assessment, are divided into first-level management and control zones and second-level management and control zones.

　　According to the introduction, the delineation and implementation of groundwater pollution prevention and control zones in Ningxia will effectively enhance Ningxia's groundwater ecological environment supervision capacity, further improve the policy and standard system for groundwater pollution prevention and control, and provide strong support for achieving precise prevention and scientific control of groundwater pollution.

　　Next, Ningxia will strictly implement departmental supervision responsibilities, further improve the groundwater ecological environment management model of "prevention, control, treatment, and management," strictly control the increment of groundwater pollution, gradually reduce the existing stock of groundwater pollution, and make every effort to ensure the safety of the groundwater ecological environment.