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China accelerates water recycling infrastructure across major urban centres

26.05.2026

China accelerates water recycling infrastructure across major urban centres

Reclaimed water has become a consistent second source of urban water supply

ipopba / iStock [Photo source]

Residents of Chinese cities used over 22 billion cubic metres of treated water in 2025, making it a stable second source of water supply. This was reported by China Daily, a partner of TV BRICS, citing China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

Ministry officials concluded that treated water helps to balance the gap between supply and demand for the resource. To achieve this, the construction of treatment plants was accelerated, monitoring of leaks in the urban water supply network was stepped up, and funds were allocated to create so-called sponge cities, where infrastructure has been built for special rainwater management.

In such cities, a combination of natural and engineering solutions is employed: lawns, rooftop gardens, and soil surfaces instead of asphalt and concrete – all of which absorb and retain rainwater. Precipitation seeps into the groundwater rather than flowing into watercourses. According to the ministry, a pilot programme for such water-saving solutions has been launched in 60 Chinese cities. More than 10,000 projects for sponge cities have reached the completion stage.

In addition, authorities have organised monitoring of leaks in water pipes in 50 localities.

It is noted that wastewater treated in accordance with specific quality standards becomes a reliable additional source of water in cities, replacing fresh water and reducing the burden on urban water supply systems.

In BRICS partner countries,water-saving technologies are applied in industry, urban and rural agriculture. Active cooperation in this field is taking place within the BRICS framework.

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has put forward an initiative to address water security issues, which has received broad support from countries in the region. Tashkent is ready to exchange water-saving technologies and adopt best practices in irrigation modernisation. In particular, it intends to adopt Egypt’s experience in managing the Nile’s resources and, by 2028, cover 80 per cent of irrigated land with water-saving technologies. The parties plan to form a joint working group to exchange experience in the water sector, reports MENA, a partner of TV BRICS.

In Kazakhstan, industrial enterprises will gradually transition to water recycling and reuse systems over a seven-year period. According to Kazinform, a partner of TV BRICS, the measures being implemented will increase the proportion of water reuse in industry to 28 per cent. At the same time, water-saving irrigation systems are being introduced in cities and large settlements. By 2030, a full transition to such technologies is planned for the irrigation of green spaces covering an area of 10,200 hectares. In agriculture, the area covered by water-saving technologies is planned to reach 1.3 million hectares by 2030. This is expected to yield annual savings of 2.2 billion cubic metres of water.

Belarus plans to complete the modernisation of the wastewater treatment system near Minsk by 2028. The project is expected to result in a significant improvement in the quality of treated wastewater. For certain parameters, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, the reduction will be up to 50 per cent. Ultraviolet water disinfection will be used. A system for treating exhaust gases is planned. It is noted that the modern sewage sludge treatment system will, in the long term, solve the problem of its disposal, reports BelTA, a partner of TV BRICS.