Daishan, a county in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, recently received the Dayu Cauldron Award, the highest honor in water management in Zhejiang, local media reported.

To date, 17 residential communities in Daishan have completely eliminated direct discharge of sewage by separating rain water from sewage, and 27 other local residential communities are expected to do the same by the end of this year.

Daishan has been purifying and dredging rivers and planting underwater forests to improve overall river quality in the county.

For example, in the 2,000-meter Dainan river, floating islands full of green plants were set up every 10 meters.

Daishan plans to finish renovating five more rivers this year.

Moreover, the Daishan Economic Development Zone has laid 1,800 meters of sewage pipe, which will be connected to the blow-off lines of the zone's 49 companies.

Tang Jianbo, deputy director of the Daishan ecology and environment bureau, said that seven towns and one economic development zone in Daishan will eliminate direct discharge of sewage by December this year, and lakeshore chiefs will ensure a healthy offshore environment.