WATER FUNDS SPOTLIGHT STORIES China Tackling pollution in Zhejiang Province Around half of China’s water pollution comes from land use and degradation. Encouraging business to invest in upstream conservation could be the answer for ten million people in the Greater Hangzhou area.

The context The future With nearly a quarter of China’s urban The funds have encouraged downstream residents lacking access to proper investors – including large businesses drinking water and sanitation facilities, and government agencies – to support water scarcity and pollution is a significant upstream land conservation and issue. Around half of China’s water restoration. At the larger Qiandao site, pollution comes from land use and TNC began working with local farmers degradation, where fertilizers, pesticides, in 2018 to implement organic, high-end and livestock waste are carried into lakes, tea and high-yield rice-paddy agriculture. rivers, wetlands, aquifers and coastal Using cutting edge technology (drones, waters. Meanwhile, sediment pollution AI and Cloud data storage), farmers can affects the water sources for 82 million now improve precision of their fertilizer people in China’s 30 largest and fastest application and therefore reduce the growing cities. amount they use. The Water Fund has also established nature-based solutions The action such as ecological ditches, and launched The Nature Conservancy (TNC) China water education programs for students has established two pilot Water Funds so that they can learn why and how China at strategic sites in Zhejiang Province. to protect source water in the future. SITE ONE These funds have multiple aims: to bring Ultimately, the Qiandao Lake Water Fund together scientists, business and industry practices will improve 15,000 livelihoods Longwu Reservoir, used while reducing fertilizer and pesticide use and find ways to reduce the impact on SITE ONE by more than 4,000 residents the environment; to encourage funding across 30,000 acres. for long-term conservation; and to ensure local people can pursue livelihoods that SITE TWO SITE TWO secure their wellbeing as well as improve ZHEJIANG PROVINCE watershed health. Qiandao Lake, the source of drinking water for more than 10 million people

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