With new questions being raised about people’s continued access to water resources here in China, at least one environmental expert is pressing the idea of more recycled water use.
While the Chinese government has been promoting the re-use of water for the past quarter-century, the use of recycled water here in China is still quite uncommon.
Recycled water is not as clean as tap water, but for water-scarce cities such as Beijing, its use is certainly needed. Xiao Qiong is a water industry analyst.
“The cost of recycling water is cheaper than long distance water transfer,” Xiao says.
However, around 40 percent of the recycled water produced in Beijing’s recycling plants goes unused.
Beijing’s recycled water is mainly used for industry, landscaping and cleaning the city itself.
A number of larger communities here in China do have water recycling facilities.
But for the majority of communities that do not have the capacity to recycle water, huge piping networks have to be set up to draw recycled water from the closest plant, a process which can be very expensive.
And on top of that, Chinese environmentalist Ma Jun conceeds that many people here in China are not comfortable using recycled water.
“As long as clean tap water is still running in our homes, people are unwilling to use recycled water. Besides, water fees only account for a small proportion of people’s cost of living,” Ma says.
The central government is doing its part to increase the use of recycled water with a promise to triple the amount of money available for new water recycling plants in the next 5-years.
On top of that, Ma Jun says the average person can also lend a hand in saving water.
“Many people collect water from their washing machines. They use it to mop the floor or flush the toilet and this is a great DIY system for recycling water,” Ma says.
