Building Water-frugal Cities

Water conservation has been systematically promoted in Chinese cities during recent years. Since 2015, 50 cities have been selected to host the pilot program of building sponge cities, which aims to address both urban flooding and water shortage by harvesting rainwater. As of the end of 2021, 130 cities had met the national criterion for water conservation.

Meanwhile solid progress has been made in the reuse of wastewater. Last year 16.1 billion cubic meters of water was reclaimed in Chinese cities, an increase of 18.9 percent over 2020. According to relevant authorities, functioning water circulation systems will be developed in urban areas, and the awareness of water conservation will be promoted among urban residents as part of the effort to pursue high-quality urban development.