Water Science & Technology: Water Supply Vol 7 No 2 pp 23–30 © IWA Publishing 2007 doi:10.2166/ws.2007.037

Sustainable management of urban water resources in China

Y. Qian

Due to the rapid development of economy, China has been facing severe water shortage and water pollution problems. This paper discusses three strategies developed for the urban water resource management in China, which is essential for the sustainable development of its economy. These strategies include setting high priority for demand control and water conservation, controlling pollution from the sources and increasing investment for wastewater treatment; and developing untraditional water resources, such as rainwater harvesting, wastewater reclamation, seawater utilization, etc. It is hoped that these strategies may not only solve the water shortage and water pollution problems at low capital and operational costs, but also meet the present and future needs on water resources in China.

Keywords: China; management strategy; pollution control; urban; water conservation; water resources

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