215 firms had stopped production and were installing pollution treatment facilities. 18 firms were closed down, and 190 had either gone bankrupt or converted to other lines of production. As a result of progress made by these industrial firms, pollution to the Huaihe River was reduced by over forty percent. Most sections of the river have reached third class national ambient standards. But despite this overall improvement in water quality in the main river and some tributaries, some sections of the river are still seriously polluted.
Much work still needs to be done to make the river completely clean.
The Second and Third phase of Huaihe River abatement will continue to address this situation. In 1998, the Second phase of Huaihe River abatement, a number of municipal sewage treatment plants will be built. A shortage of money may, however, prove problematic. In order to overcome this difficulty, several governmental agencies have taken measures. The State Planning Commission has appropriated a loan of 500 million yuan for the work.