Study on the sediment characteristics of the snow in a typical residential community and its integrated biological treatment pattern in Harbin.

Winter cities have severe shortages of water resources. The effective classification and recycling of urban water resources that are available here are therefore significant for the sustainable utilization of water in winter cities, and snow is a potential water resource. In this research, the water quality of the snow and the pollutant composition in the vehicle roads of a typical residential community of Harbin are analyzed. It is concluded that there is a large amount of suspended substances, including chemical oxygen demand (COD), salt, ammonia, and oil in this snow. There are 27 main pollutants. The oily substances are dominated by hexadecane and are accompanied by toxic substances, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene (BTEX), and naphthalene. As snow is a carrier of pollutants, the underground space of the urban shallow green belt is proposed to be used to establish a snow-melting system that would integrate biological treatment devices. This method allows the year-round collection, storage, and utilization of rainwater for use in city planning and municipal technology, realizing multiple objectives and having a significant influence on further urban development.