Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture has been included into the second batch of regional recycled water utilization pilot projects by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment

On December 25, 2023, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced the results of the second batch of regional recycled water utilization pilot project reviews. It is proposed to designate 19 cities as pilot cities, and Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province is among the selected pilot areas. The China Water Environment Group has established six sunken-type reclaimed water plants around Erhai Lake, utilizing a distributed sunken-type reclaimed water ecological system. These plants provide nearly 20 million tons of high-quality reclaimed water and achieve 100% utilization of reclaimed water, contributing to the development of a healthy and sustainable urban water ecological recycling system.

Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province was included into the second batch of regional recycled water utilization pilot area

In January 2021, the National Development and Reform Commission, along with nine other ministries, issued the Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Utilization of Sewage Resources, proposing the implementation of key projects such as regional recycled water utilization. In December of the same year, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, in collaboration with the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and the Ministry of Water Resources, released the Implementation Plan for Regional Recycled Water Utilization Pilot Projects(referred to as the Pilot Plan).

The application of the China Water Environment Group's distributed sunken-type reclaimed water ecological system has achieved the milestone of 100% reuse of reclaimed water, which was highlighted and promoted as a typical practice of sewage resource utilization on CCTV's Financial Channel's Economic News.

In Dali, Yunnan, the 6 sunken-type reclaimed water plants act like a pearl necklace, intercepting the major arteries of domestic sewage around Erhai Lake. Scientifically collecting and resourcefully utilizing sewage as a stable water resource for urban areas, these plants simultaneously create ecological ponds and artificial wetlands to further purify and enhance water quality. The thoroughly purified reclaimed water is mainly used for hillside afforestation, agricultural irrigation, urban landscaping, and cityscape water use, effectively protecting Erhai Lake and promoting sustained improvement in its water quality.

Ecological ponds and reservoirs

The construction of reclaimed water storage reservoirs and ponds contributes to the improvement of the regional ecological environment, playing a significant role in ensuring ecological security and protecting biodiversity. Following the remediation efforts, by 2022, the water quality of the entire Erhai Lake achieved Class II for 8 months, and the bird species increased to 162. The structure of Erhai Lake's 18 submerged plant species was optimized. Simultaneously, local farmers in the Erhai Lake basin have benefited from the high-quality ecological environment, with the Ottelia acuminata planting industry becoming a crucial source of income for farmers. The governance of Erhai Lake integrates water environmental management with green development, allowing the clear waters of Erhai Lake to flow through villages again, realizing a harmonious and prosperous life for the people.

The "water quality indicator" Ottelia acuminata, absent for half a century, is now blooming again