World Bank Supports China's Wastewater Treatment

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, November 30, 2001

World Bank Supports China's Wastewater Treatment

The World Bank will strongly support the Chinese government's reforms and its innovative efforts in urban wastewater treatment and reuse,Yukon Huang, Country Director for China of the World Bank, said Thursday in Beijing.

Huang made the remark at the 21st Century International Conference & Exhibition on Developing Strategy of Urban WastewaterTreatment and Reuse which ended Thursday. The World Bank hopes to increase its cooperation and communication with the Chinese government in this area. According to Huang, water resource conservation and urban environment protection have always been a focal point in the WorldBank's support for China in urban areas. Since the first project in 1985, the World Bank has supported about 30 urban projects and given approximately 5 billion U.S. dollars in loans for urban infrastructure construction and institutional building. Nearly half was for wastewater collection,treatment, disposal, and related institutional strengthening measures in 15 provinces and municipalities. On entering the 21st century, the Chinese government has adopted a forward-looking strategy for water resources and environmental protection, giving high priority to the efficient use of water and water conservation.

Huang says the World Bank will take an active role in supporting the present priority given to the reuse of treated wastewater effluent. The Bank will work closely with the Chinese government on the treatment and reuse of urban wastewater, both through this conference, and through future Bank-financed urban wastewater investments. China is a country having insufficient water resources, with water shortages in about two-thirds of its cities especially in northern China. In the next five years, all Chinese cities are required to havewastewater treatment facilities, and at least 45 percent of urban wastewater should be treated. During the period, the daily wastewater treatment capacity should increase from the 14.75 million cubic meters at the end of 2000 to 40 million cubic metersin 2005.

"In the next five to ten years, investment in urban wastewater treatment facilities in China is predicted to reach tens of billion U.S. dollars," Huang said. China rejoined the World Bank in 1980. China and the World Bankhave since become mature and significant partnership.

According to Huang, by June 30, 2001, World Bank had committed a total of 35 billion U.S. dollars of loans in China, involving 234 projects, and about half of the projects are still under construction. The World Bank's assistance program is now more focused on the least underdeveloped inland provinces, including developing the vast western areas.

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