Original Title: Notice from the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Shandong Province, the Development and Reform Commission of Shandong Province, the Department of Water Resources of Shandong Province, and the Market Supervision Administration of Shandong Province on Issuing the "Administrative Measures for the Recognition of Water Efficiency 'Leaders' in Key Industries of Shandong Province (Trial)"
Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1 These Measures are formulated to implement the “Shandong Province 14th Five-Year Plan for Water Conservation” and the “Shandong Province 14th Five-Year Plan for Circular Economy in the Industrial and Information Technology Sectors,” to enhance water conservation efficiency among industrial enterprises, and to accelerate the promotion of green, low-carbon, and high-quality industrial development, in accordance with the actual conditions of our province.

Article 2 "Water Efficiency Leaders" in key industries refer to enterprises engaged in production and business operations within the province whose water efficiency in major production processes and equipment meets the national standards for water-saving enterprises in the corresponding industries, and which continuously improve their water efficiency.

Article 3 The Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, in conjunction with the Provincial Department of Water Resources, the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, and the Provincial Market Supervision Administration, is responsible for the recognition of "water efficiency leaders" in key industries, which shall be conducted once annually.

Chapter II: Recognition Criteria

Article 4 (1) The primary targets for recognition are industrial enterprises in key sectors such as steel, coking, petroleum refining, ethylene, chlor-alkali (caustic soda, polyvinyl chloride), nitrogen fertilizers (synthetic ammonia, urea), modern coal chemical industry (coal-to-methanol, coal-to-ethylene glycol, coal-to-oil, coal-to-synthetic natural gas, coal-to-olefins),textile dyeing and finishing, chemical fiber filament weaving, papermaking, beer, monosodium glutamate, alumina, electrolytic aluminum, and shipbuilding;

(2) Independent legal entities with an annual water consumption exceeding 100,000 cubic meters.

Article 5: Applicant enterprises must meet the following conditions:

(1) Comply with relevant national, industry, and local water conservation policies and standards;

(2) Possess valid permits for water abstraction and have not exceeded water abstraction quotas in the past three years;

(3) Have not experienced any major safety, environmental, or quality-related violations in the past three years, and have not been listed on the Business Operations Abnormalities List or the List of Seriously Unreliable Entities;

(4) The water efficiency indicators of the enterprise’s main products in the previous year meet the requirements of the water-saving enterprise standards and are at a leading level;

(5) Do not use water-consuming equipment or appliances that are expressly prohibited by the state or listed in the prohibited or phased-out catalogs;

(6) Implement the “three simultaneous” and “four in place” water conservation systems for new construction, renovation, and expansion projects;

(7) The enterprise has established a water conservation management system, with corresponding water-saving measures in place for each production stage, and has established a comprehensive water metering and statistical management system. Water metering instruments are equipped in accordance with the requirements of the national standard “General Rules for the Provision and Management of Water Metering Instruments in Water-Using Units” (GB 24789) and are verified or calibrated in accordance with the law.

Chapter III: Certification Procedures

Article 6 The Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, the Provincial Department of Water Resources, the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, and the Provincial Market Regulation Bureau shall jointly issue a notice, and water-using enterprises in key industries may voluntarily submit applications.

Article 7: The competent departments of industry and information technology in each city, in conjunction with the departments of water resources, development and reform, and market regulation, shall be responsible for reviewing the compliance of application materials submitted by enterprises applying for the “Water Efficiency Leader” designation in key industries. Where necessary, on-site inspections shall be conducted. Based on compliance with the recognition criteria, the best-qualified enterprises shall be recommended to the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology.

Article 8: The Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, in conjunction with the Provincial Department of Water Resources, the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, and the Provincial Market Regulation Bureau, shall organize experts to conduct a re-examination of the application materials recommended by each city and select the list of Shandong Province Key Industry Water Efficiency “Leaders” based on merit.

Article 9: The Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, in conjunction with the Provincial Department of Water Resources, the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, the Provincial Market Regulation Bureau, and other relevant departments, shall publicly announce the list of proposed "water efficiency leaders" in key industries. Upon the conclusion of the public notice period without objection, the list shall be officially released to the public.

Chapter IV Supervision and Management

Article 10 The competent departments of industry and information technology in each city, in conjunction with the departments of water resources, development and reform, and market regulation, shall be responsible for the recommendation and supervision of water efficiency “Leaders” in key industries within their respective regions. The title of “Water Efficiency Leader” in key industries shall be subject to dynamic management, with a validity period of two years.

Article 11: Enterprises that have been designated as Shandong Province Key Industry Water Efficiency “Leaders” shall have their designation revoked and shall be barred from applying for three years if any of the following circumstances occur:

(1) Fraudulent conduct is discovered during the enterprise’s application process;

(2) The enterprise experiences a major or higher-level safety, quality, or environmental pollution incident; a major or higher-level cybersecurity or data security incident; or engages in tax evasion, violations of laws and regulations, serious breaches of trust, or other major misconduct;

Article 12: Strengthen publicity efforts for enterprises designated as “Water Efficiency Leaders” in Shandong Province’s key industries. Promote advanced practices widely through various formats such as on-site meetings, press conferences, and recommendation sessions to drive an overall improvement in water use efficiency across the entire industry. Encourage localities to design diversified policies and fiscal funding mechanisms, and guide financial institutions to provide green financial support to relevant enterprises.

Article 13: Enterprises awarded the title of “Water Efficiency Leader” in Shandong Province’s key industries shall be given priority for recommendation to apply for the national “Water Efficiency Leader” designation.

Chapter V Supplementary Provisions

Article 14: The Department of Industry and Information Technology of Shandong Province, the Development and Reform Commission of Shandong Province, the Department of Water Resources of Shandong Province, and the Market Supervision Administration of Shandong Province shall be responsible for interpreting these provisions.

Article 15 These Provisions shall take effect on February 11, 2024, and remain valid until February 10, 2026.