State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
Beifang Investigation, Design & Research Co., Ltd., Tianjin 300222, China.
Water Res. 2024 Mar 15;252:121237. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121237. Epub 2024 Jan 30.
China, the largest developing country, has experienced rapid urbanization since its reform and opening-up. However, the increasing pollution load from urban areas has deteriorated urban river water quality, contradicting the concept of sustainable and green development promoted by the Chinese government. This situation elucidates governmental shortcomings in systematic environmental protection. Our study revealed that the current wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharge standards in urban areas are insufficient for attaining the desired urban river water quality and thus intensify the conflict between urbanization and water environmental protection. As urbanization continues, the urban population will grow, further exacerbating pollution and conflict. Our focus was the Xiangjiang River basin in Zunyi, a typical urbanized city in China. Using a validated one-dimensional mathematical model, we compared the water quality in the Xiangjiang River between current and upgraded WWTP discharge standards. The results showed that the water quality in the Xiangjiang River falls short of the standards, with more than 60 % of the river exceeding limits. However, upgrading WWTP discharge standards significantly reduces the proportion of river sections exceeding limits, with only 0.4 % exceeding standards during specific periods. This enhancement greatly improved the Xiangjiang River's water quality, aided in restoring the entire water environment in the basin, and supported water environmental protection goals. Our research findings offer crucial support for local governments in shaping comprehensive water environmental protection policies and insights for addressing similar environmental challenges caused by rapid urbanization in other developing regions.
中国是最大的发展中国家，自改革开放以来经历了快速的城市化进程。然而，城市地区不断增加的污染负荷已经恶化了城市河流水质，与中国政府所倡导的可持续和绿色发展理念背道而驰。这种情况揭示了政府在系统环境保护方面的不足。我们的研究表明，目前城市地区的污水处理厂（WWTP）排放标准不足以达到理想的城市河流水质，从而加剧了城市化和水环境保护之间的冲突。随着城市化的继续，城市人口将增加，进一步加剧污染和冲突。我们的研究重点是中国典型城市化城市遵义的湘江流域。我们使用经过验证的一维数学模型，比较了当前和升级后的 WWTP 排放标准下湘江的水质。结果表明，湘江的水质不符合标准，超过 60%的河段超标。然而，升级 WWTP 排放标准显著降低了超标河段的比例，只有 0.4%的河段在特定时期超标。这种改善极大地提高了湘江的水质，有助于恢复流域内的整个水环境，并支持水环境保护目标。我们的研究结果为地方政府制定全面的水环境保护政策提供了重要支持，并为其他发展中地区因快速城市化而导致的类似环境挑战提供了见解。
