The instrument of identification of water pollution discharge source, self-innovated by Tsinghua Holding's subsidiary Beijing GS Technology Co Ltd (GSAFETY), has won a 2016 Tsinghua Industry Top 10 Innovation Project award. 

The technology, through precisely analyzing water properties and matching the results to data previously collected, can trace the exact source of water pollutant in a short time.

It has successfully helped the Shenzhen city, South China's Guangdong province, to detect factories discharging unqualified industrial sewage at its industrial park in Jiangbi district that houses more than 20 electroplate factories. 

Soon after the technology was used this year in Shenzhen, it reported an alert of water pollution. Based on the early alert, the environmental inspection and monitoring authorities immediately targeted one electroplate factory and found four kinds of emissions from its sewage draining exit were above standard discharge, with the level of phosphorus 11.7 times above the allowable standard.Shenzhen TV reports on the identification technology of water pollution discharge sourcewater environment safety precaution network's rolein an environmental protection raid. 

On 29 March, 2017, the technology was rewarded a gold medal at the 45th Geneva International Inventions Salon. 

The instrument of identification of water pollution discharge source at work in Hefei, Anhui province.

The principle of the technology is similar to the way police identify people with fingerprints. It collects water samples from each factory and stores them in a data base as background against which any unqualified or excessive pollutants can be detected.   

Although the properties of pollutants may change due to differing production processes and variations between them from different factories may be slight, the network can still accurately identify the pollutant sources, said Zhou Xiaobo, vice manager of the environment safety division of GSAFTY.

The city of Hefei, Anhui province, has used this technology to find domestic sewage, rather than industrial usage, is the real reason resulting in its poor water quality. The discovery made work of authorities much easier. 

In addition, GSAFETY provides professional advice to relevant departments on management approaches to different water areas at different times based on its data base available in its unique clouding computing system. 

"We have been working with Tsinghua University for more than 10 years and have formed a smooth procedure for the cooperation of industry, university and research," said Peng Hui, head of the marketing department of GSAFETY.

Workshop of the instrument of identification of water pollution discharge source.

GSAFETY also attributes its success to government policy support, which more than ever is focused on environmental protection. 

In 2016, the State Council began to appoint local government heads across China as river chiefs to clean up and protect its water resources. The technology is expected to provide strong technological support for the policy. 

The identification technology of water pollution discharge source is an urgent necessity to assist nationwide water anti-pollution measures. It helps determine pollutant sources, propels the development of water quality technologies and steps up the governments' enforcement and efficiency in environmental protection.