China Tightens Water Conservation Measures to Address Scarcity and Promote Efficiency

China is intensifying its efforts to conserve water and improve water use efficiency across all sectors. The State Council has implemented new national regulations aimed at shifting from extensive to efficient and intensive water usage practices. These regulations introduce a rigid water resource constraint system and establish a government-led water conservation mechanism with public and market participation.

The regulations emphasize improved water management, water-saving agriculture, and the adoption of water-saving technologies. They also include provisions for subsidies, incentive mechanisms, and supervision to ensure the effectiveness of water-saving policies. The core focus is to align population and urban/industrial development with water resource capacity.

Despite facing a water scarcity challenge due to its large population and uneven water distribution, China has made significant progress in water conservation. Water consumption per unit of GDP and per unit of industrial added value has decreased significantly since 2014.

The National Water Conservation Action Plan, implemented in 2019, has achieved its targets for national water consumption, water consumption per unit of GDP, and water consumption per unit of industrial added value. Progress has been made in agricultural, industrial, and urban water-saving initiatives, with the water reuse rate in industries exceeding 93 percent.

China has also made strides in promoting water-saving cities and improving urban water use efficiency. A series of systems, including urban water-saving planning, planned water use, quota management, and water-saving statistics, has been implemented. The "sponge city" construction initiative, which emphasizes flood management through green infrastructure, has been promoted in 90 cities since 2015.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) is continuously promoting the efficient and intensive use of water resources. The NDRC is supporting the development of the water-saving industry, promoting the resourceful use of unconventional water sources, and organizing a three-year action plan to enhance the use of reclaimed water in key cities.