China has successfully maintained its annual water consumption below 610 billion cubic meters from 2014 to 2023, despite a significant increase in its GDP. This achievement is attributed to improved water efficiency in industrial and agricultural sectors, as well as the utilization of reclaimed water.

In the agricultural sector, China has made substantial efforts to enhance water efficiency. Irrigated farmland, covering 70 million hectares, accounts for 55% of the country's total farmland and produces 77% of its grain and over 90% of its commercial crops. Despite this, water used for irrigation has remained stable, ensuring continuous increases in grain output for 20 consecutive years.

To achieve this, the Ministry of Water Resources has implemented water-saving transformations in large and medium-sized irrigated areas and upgraded water diversion facilities. As a result, the average water consumption per hectare of irrigated farmland has decreased from 6,030 cubic meters in 2014 to 5,460 cubic meters currently. Additionally, internet-connected meters have been installed in water intakes of irrigated areas larger than 3,333 hectares to monitor and control agricultural water use.

In urban areas, China has made progress in utilizing reclaimed water. Pilot programs have been implemented in 116 cities, resulting in the utilization of approximately 18 billion cubic meters of reclaimed water annually, representing 29% of the total water used in urban areas.