Strive to promote the utilization of sewage resources in key areas, turn waste into treasure, and develop "second water resources"

The National Development and Reform Commission and other 10 departments recently jointly issued the "Guiding Opinions on Promoting the utilization of sewage resources" proposed that by 2025, the national sewage collection efficiency will be significantly improved, the county and urban sewage treatment capacity will basically meet the needs of local economic and social development, and the sewage treatment in water environment sensitive areas will basically realize upgrading; The utilization rate of recycled water in water-scarce cities at the prefecture level and above has reached more than 25%, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has reached more than 35%. By 2035, a systematic, safe, environmentally friendly and economical sewage resource utilization pattern will be formed.

The amount of recycled water resources is less than 15% of urban sewage discharge

Water resources shortage is an important bottleneck restricting economic and social development. Zhao Yong, deputy director of the Institute of Water Resources of the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, said that according to the correlation between the urbanization rate and urban water use in the past 20 years, every 1% increase in China's urbanization rate will increase urban domestic water use by 1.67 billion cubic meters. "By 2030, when China's population peaks, domestic water use in cities and towns alone will increase by 25 billion cubic meters."

At the same time, the situation of water environment pollution and water ecological security in China is also very severe.

Sewage resource utilization refers to the harmless treatment of sewage to achieve specific water quality standards, as reclaimed water to replace conventional water resources, used in industrial production, residential life, ecological water replenishment, agricultural irrigation, etc., and extract other resources and energy from sewage. "The resource utilization of sewage is still in the preliminary stage, and the utilization level is low." According to Hu Hongying, a professor at the School of Environment of Tsinghua University, at present, China's urban sewage discharge is about 75 billion cubic meters, and the amount of renewable water resources is less than 15% of urban sewage discharge, which needs to be accelerated.

Zhu Liyang, former director of resources and environment Business Department of China International Engineering Consulting Co., LTD., said, "Sewage, as a second water resource, has the advantages of stable water quantity, controllable water quality and nearby availability. Actively promoting the utilization of sewage resources can not only alleviate the contradiction between water supply and demand, but also reduce water pollution.

We will implement six key projects in three key areas: urban, industrial, agricultural and rural areas

According to the guidelines, the key areas for the utilization of sewage resources in China include urban domestic sewage, industrial wastewater and agricultural and rural sewage.

We will accelerate the utilization of urban domestic sewage as resources. In water-shortage areas, especially water-quality water-shortage areas, priority should be given to converting the discharged water up to the standard into utilizable water resources, and the natural water bodies should be replenished nearby. In resource-based water shortage areas, water supply and quality should be determined according to demand, and recycled water should be promoted for industrial production, municipal utility and ecological water replenishment. "Ecological replenishment is one of the key measures of water environment governance. At present, the effluent quality of most urban sewage treatment plants in China is good, especially the main water quality indicators such as chemical oxygen demand, ammonia nitrogen and total phosphorus can meet or close to the requirements of environmental water bodies such as rivers and lakes." Hu Hongying said.

We will actively promote the resource utilization of industrial wastewater. Carry out water audit, water efficiency standard and water-saving transformation of enterprises, and promote the recycling of industrial water within enterprises. To carry out monitoring, evaluation and water management of industrial wastewater recycling.

We will prudently promote the utilization of agricultural and rural sewage resources. Promote the modular process technology combining engineering and ecology, and promote the utilization of local resources of rural domestic sewage.

In addition, the guidelines also specify the implementation of six key projects such as sewage collection and resource utilization facilities construction projects. It is proposed to promote the full coverage of urban sewage pipe networks, focusing on the repair of damaged urban sewage pipe networks, the renewal of old pipe networks and the renovation of mixed connections and misconnections. By 2025, a number of national high-tech industrial wastewater near-zero discharge pilot projects for scientific and technological innovation will be established.

Form a "1+N" policy system, and liberalize the government pricing of recycled water

The relevant responsible comrades of the National Development and Reform Commission said that the utilization of sewage resources has a strong public welfare, which requires both the active participation of the market and the guidance of the government.

"The guideline calls for the development of regional recycled water recycling pilot projects and other implementation plans to form a '1+N' policy system for the utilization of sewage resources." The responsible comrade said that the central financial funds will increase the investment in the utilization of sewage resources, and support local government special bonds for eligible sewage resource utilization construction projects.

In terms of improving the price mechanism, the guideline calls for the establishment of a user fee system and the liberalization of government pricing of recycled water. For rivers, lakes and wetlands that provide public ecological and environmental services and use reclaimed water for landscape water, the government is encouraged to purchase services to promote the utilization of sewage resources.

"The price of water is an important factor affecting the utilization of sewage resources." Zhu Liyang said that the next step should firmly grasp the window period of water price reform, improve the water price policy of sewage resource utilization, and constantly optimize the price mechanism such as user payment; We will liberalize the price of recycled water according to market demand, optimize the technology, scale and layout of sewage resource utilization to reduce costs and form a reasonable price comparison system.