The water and air quality in East China's Zhejiang province has continued to improve over the past year, according to a recently released report.

According to the 2021 Bulletin of Ecology and Environment Status of Zhejiang, which was issued by the Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment, the ecosystem in the province was generally stable, while nuclear and radiation safety was effectively guaranteed. Meanwhile, public satisfaction with the province's ecological environment continued to rise for the 10th consecutive year.

Morning in Baofu town, Anji county, Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

In terms of water environment, 95.2 percent of the province's surface water was rated Grade III or higher, a 1.3 percent year-on-year improvement. In addition, the province's cross-administrative region river water quality compliance rate was 99.3 percent, up by 0.7 percent compared to 2020. The quality compliance rate of drinking water sources above the county level in the province was 100 percent, the same as 2020.

The ambient air quality in nine of 11 cities in Zhejiang reached the national Grade II standard. The ratio of days with excellent ambient air quality was 94.4 percent and the average annual concentration of PM2.5 was 24 micrograms per cubic meter, down 4.0 percent from the previous year.

Zhejiang currently has a wooded area spanning about 6.59 million hectares, including about 6.08 million hectares of forest, and a forest coverage rate of 61.17 percent, one of the highest in the country, according to the report.