[Mainland China] The Ministry of Water Resources sets water-saving targets for the 15th Five-Year Plan: water consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP to fall by another 10%, annual Reclaimed Water utilization to exceed 25.6 billion cubic meters

Key Facts: 2026年9月30日, Sun Zhiyu, Vice Minister of Water Resources, stated at the State Council Information Office press conference on "Starting the 15th Five-Year Plan" that China will fully implement the rigid water resource constraint system, promoting a further reduction of water consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP and water consumption per 10,000 yuan of industrial value-added by 10% respectively on the basis of the end of the "14th Five-Year Plan." 2025年The total national Reclaimed Water utilization volume has exceeded 256亿 cubic meters, with Beijing's Reclaimed Water utilization volume reaching 14.5亿 cubic meters, accounting for about one-third of the city's total annual water consumption.

I. Policy Release: Water Conservation Upgraded from "Advocacy" to "Rigid Constraint"

At the series of thematic press conferences on "Starting the 15th Five-Year Plan" held by the State Council Information Office, the Ministry of Water Resources systematically articulated the main tone of water resource management for the next five years — use water resources with careful calculation, and manage water resources with strict and meticulous measures. This statement marks a shift in water resource management from the previous focus on "incremental development" to a new stage of "total volume control, efficiency first."

Sun Zhiyu pointed out that China's basic water situation is characterized by "summer floods and winter droughts, scarcity in the north and abundance in the south," with per capita water resources amounting to only about 35% of the world average. The long-term coexistence of abundant people but scarce water and uneven spatial and temporal distribution determines that water conservation must be pursued persistently. Over the past five years, China's total water consumption has remained generally stable at around 6000亿 cubic meters, water consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP has dropped to 42.4 cubic meters, and water consumption per 10,000 yuan of industrial value-added has dropped to 22.9 cubic meters, representing a significant improvement in water resource utilization efficiency. The "15th Five-Year Plan" will take a new step forward on this basis.

II. Four Key Pillars: Rigid Constraints, Water Conservation in Key Sectors, Smart Monitoring, Groundwater Governance

• Rigid Water Resource Constraint System — Strictly implement "dual control" of total volume and intensity, organize all regions to "plan according to water availability and act according to water availability," implement differentiated management and control, promote water rights trading, and reduce unreasonable water demand.
• Water Conservation in Key Sectors — Deepen the implementation of the national water conservation action, vigorously promote agricultural water conservation and efficiency improvement, industrial water conservation and emission reduction, and urban water conservation and loss reduction, and accelerate the cultivation of the water conservation industry.
• Strengthen Water Intake Monitoring — Nationwide, 548万 water intake metering records have been established, accounting for 98.4% of the total number of water intake points; there are 42万 online metering and monitoring points, basically achieving full coverage. The "15th Five-Year Plan" will further advance smart monitoring.
• Groundwater Overexploitation Governance — In the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei governance area, shallow groundwater levels have recovered by an average of 3.76 meters, and deep groundwater levels by 7.65 meters. In the future, continued efforts will be made to repair overexploitation cones.

III. Reclaimed Water Becomes the "Second Water Source," Utilization Volume Exceeds 256亿 Cubic Meters

This press conference once again released a clear signal: the utilization of Reclaimed Water and unconventional water will become the key increment for alleviating water resource shortages. Data shows that 2025年China's total Reclaimed Water utilization volume has exceeded 256亿 cubic meters. Among this, Beijing's Reclaimed Water utilization volume has reached 14.5亿 cubic meters, accounting for about 30% of the total annual water consumption, mainly used for ecological environment and industrial purposes.

A typical case is the Beijing Wenyu River riverway restoration project: 7万 cubic meters of Reclaimed Water is supplemented to the Wenyu River daily, significantly improving water quality and the ecological environment through Ecological Restoration technologies. The wetland, river, and lake water systems in the basin have initially shown a vibrant scene of "gulls gathering and fish swimming." This case demonstrates that Reclaimed Water can not only "replenish water" but also "create landscapes," playing an increasingly important role in urban ecological governance.

IV. Far-Reaching Impact on the Wastewater Treatment and Reclaimed Water Reuse Industry

The proposal of the "15th Five-Year Plan" water conservation targets will reshape the wastewater treatment and Reclaimed Water Reuse market from three aspects:

• Stricter Standards Bring Demand for Upgrading and Retrofitting — As the constraint of a 10% reduction in water consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP takes effect, industrial enterprises' demand for high-quality reuse water will continue to grow, and the market for advanced treatment technologies such as membrane processes, Catalytic Ozonation, and Advanced Oxidation is expected to expand.
• Reclaimed Water Allocation System Accelerating Its Formation — After the conclusion of the "Pilot Program for Reclaimed Water Utilization Allocation in Typical Regions," pilot experiences will be promoted nationwide, and the construction of Reclaimed Water pipelines, pumping stations, and differentiated water supply facilities will enter a peak period.
• Smart Water Becoming a Rigid Demand — The full coverage of online water intake metering and monitoring points means that wastewater treatment plants and Reclaimed Water plants need stronger capabilities in data collection, analysis, and remote scheduling. Digital Twin and AI process optimization are ushering in a window for large-scale application.

V. TIANYI TECH's Perspective: Moving from "Compliant Discharge" to "Water Resource-Oriented Operation"

TIANYI TECH believes that this deployment by the Ministry of Water Resources conveys a clear trend: the positioning of wastewater treatment plants is upgrading from "end-of-pipe pollutant reduction" to "urban water resource recycling hub". In the next five years, companies capable of simultaneously providing comprehensive solutions of "stable compliance + high-quality reuse + smart operation and maintenance" will have greater competitive advantages. TIANYI TECH will continue to monitor the implementation of reclaimed water allocation policies across various regions, and tailor water-saving and pollution-reduction solutions for customers, from process design and equipment integration to long-term operation.

About TIANYI LIMITED

TIANYI TECH focuses on the fields of wastewater treatment, reclaimed water reuse, and water resource recycling, providing one-stop services from process consulting, solution design, equipment integration, engineering implementation to smart operation and maintenance. The company is committed to promoting wastewater resource recovery through technological innovation, helping industrial enterprises and municipal customers achieve multiple goals of water conservation and carbon reduction, compliant discharge, and sustainable development.

Source: Comprehensive reports by Economic Daily, Sina News, and China Environment Network, 2026年10月1日