China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) has announced that the country’s overall water quality continues to improve, with a concerted effort to clean up pollution from discharge outlets playing a significant role. The MEE reports that 290,000 discharge outlets have been identified and addressed, following a comprehensive investigation of 560,000 kilometers of river and lake shorelines. This initiative has led to the resolution of 195,000 cases of wastewater being directly discharged into water bodies. The MEE states that cleaning up discharge outlets is a crucial foundation for protecting the water environment, emphasizing the importance of a coordinated approach to water and land management. Despite these positive developments, the MEE acknowledges that disparities exist across regions in terms of progress and effectiveness of the clean-up efforts. The ministry plans to further prioritize these efforts in key areas and water bodies, aiming to improve pollution control and build a long-term regulatory system to manage water pollution effectively. This initiative aims to contribute to the ongoing protection and development of China’s beautiful rivers and lakes.