(Yicai Global) July 26 -- China will require more than CNY1 trillion (USD148 billion) to create a network of waste water pipelines to clean up its urban rivers, which will stimulate local economies.

The total length of the national water pipeline is currently 1 million kilometers, so to add the lacking 400,000 km of sewage pipes will cost over CNY1 trillion, Zhang Bo, director of the water department at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said at a press conference today.

While China has made progress in clearing its air, much of its water remains "black and stinky" -- as the state documents describe it. By 2020, the country is trying to cleanse 95 percent of its groundwater to a level that is usable for industry and irrigation from the current 92 percent. One of the underlying problems is the lack of supervision so this year, the central government launched a campaign to publicly announce the names of authorities who fail to rectify their polluting measures.

It is necessary to increase financial input, Zhang said, adding that the government should play a better role in environmental protection also because it stimulates the surrounding economic development. Local governments should curb the prices of sewage and garbage disposal for residents, as well as strengthen supervision and increase domestic demand, the director added.

Editor: Emmi Laine