Urban Innovations and Best Practices: Understanding Urban Water Tariff in the People's Republic of China

Abstract

Status of Urban Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment in the People’s Republic of China (PRC): The PRC’s water supply and wastewater treatment has grown fastest and become the largest in the world. In 2000, 250 million urban residents (69% of total residents) could access portable water supplies while total domestic water consumption was 13.2 billion cubic meters (m3). In 2007, the served urban population increased to 350 million (94% of total residents) with total domestic consumption of 16.4 billion m3. In addition, the population served by portable water supply in counties was 102 million (81% of total residents) with total domestic consumption of 3.6 billion m3.1 Adding all these, the world’s largest population has access to a potable water supply.2 In 2000, 31 million m3 of wastewater was treated daily with an urban wastewater treatment ratio of 34%. In 2007, 62 million m3 of wastewater was treated daily with an urban wastewater treatment ratio of 63%, while 883 publicly owned wastewater treatment plants have a treatment capacity of 71 million m3 per day (the second largest in the world)