By then, there were around 133 hectares of shrimp ponds, 24 pig farms and 363 drainage outlets where rainwater and sewage were dumped without treatment along the river.

The deteriorating water had become a rising threat to the mangroves, wetland vegetation and aquatic life.

In March 2018, the city government initiated an environment improvement project on the river and nearby lands, tackling the problems head-on. A public-private partnership mode was adopted, and total investment reached 2.25 billion yuan ($342.2 million).

In December the same year, construction got underway. Pollution reduction and ecological restoration were made top priorities, and multiple measures were taken to realize them.