New businesses or factories that pollute the environment have been prohibited from being built on the banks of the Dongjiang, the river that supplies most of Hong Kong's drinking water, two Guangdong mayors said at a press conference of the provincial people's congress session Sunday.

Huizhou Mayor Huang Yebin said that his city had relocated two-thirds of the polluters along the river and closed the remaining third. Heyuan Mayor Wu Ruicheng said his city would require new factories to be built in industrial parks to preserve the water quality. "We have set up 24 water-preservation areas and no factories will be allowed in these areas," Wu said.

The mayors said Dongjiang's water meet national standards and is safe to drink.

Editor: Yan