10.4 Recycled Water Reuse Management in China
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10.4.2 Institution
The key institutions involved in the recycled water use are MWR and MOHURD, of
which one is the administrative department for water resources management and the
other is the sectoral management department for water service, including both water
supply and wastewater treatment. Therefore, as a new issue, the reason for MWR to
be involved in the recycled use management is to manage water resources, and the
reason for MOHURD is to manage water services.
If the recycled water is regarded as a resource, it is the MWR’s responsibility
to manage the resource. An early document, the 2000 State Council “Notice to
Strengthen Urban Water Supply, Water Saving and Water Pollution Control,” which
required incorporating the recycled water into integrated water resources management and allocation, provided a reasonable access to manage, but at that time,
MWR did not have adequate ability to manage the recycled water. After a 2008
governmental restructuring, MWR was entitled to guide the development of urban
non-traditional water sources, including wastewater reuse; MOHURD was entitled
to guide urban wastewater treatment facility and network construction. However,
the detailed urban management institution and responsibility was given to the local
government to decide. At the same time, the 2008 taxation reduction and exemption policy (Ministry of Financing, State Taxation Administration, 2008), aimed at
promoting comprehensive resource use and requiring to meet standards formulated
by MWR, provided support to be regarded as the resources and MWR’s management
reasonability. In the following years, several important documents, such as the 2012
State Council Opinions on Implementing the Strictest Water Resources Management
Strategy and the 2015 State Council Water Pollution Control Action Plan, reiterated
the need to integrate allocate water resources, including the recycled water.
The reason for MOHURD to be involved in the management of the recycled water
is from its responsibility to guide urban wastewater treatment. The recycled water can
be reasonably regarded as a part or the extension of wastewater treatment activities,
a water service. Therefore, the management of MOHURD emphasizes technology,
operation and security, and water quality.
In summary, at present, there is no clear management agency responsible for the
management of the recycled water use. Both MWR and MOHURD are managed
blurredly from the present functions. This has affected the use of the recycled water.
10.4.3 Management Instruments
Under the promotion to use and unclear management agencies, some instruments are
attempted to introduce to manage the recycled water use, such as planning, permits,
and pricing policy.
The 2006 Technological Policy for Urban Wastewater Recycled Use by the
Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Sciences and Technology defined the
235
10.4.2 Institution
The key institutions involved in the recycled water use are MWR and MOHURD, of
which one is the administrative department for water resources management and the
other is the sectoral management department for water service, including both water
supply and wastewater treatment. Therefore, as a new issue, the reason for MWR to
be involved in the recycled use management is to manage water resources, and the
reason for MOHURD is to manage water services.
If the recycled water is regarded as a resource, it is the MWR’s responsibility
to manage the resource. An early document, the 2000 State Council “Notice to
Strengthen Urban Water Supply, Water Saving and Water Pollution Control,” which
required incorporating the recycled water into integrated water resources management and allocation, provided a reasonable access to manage, but at that time,
MWR did not have adequate ability to manage the recycled water. After a 2008
governmental restructuring, MWR was entitled to guide the development of urban
non-traditional water sources, including wastewater reuse; MOHURD was entitled
to guide urban wastewater treatment facility and network construction. However,
the detailed urban management institution and responsibility was given to the local
government to decide. At the same time, the 2008 taxation reduction and exemption policy (Ministry of Financing, State Taxation Administration, 2008), aimed at
promoting comprehensive resource use and requiring to meet standards formulated
by MWR, provided support to be regarded as the resources and MWR’s management
reasonability. In the following years, several important documents, such as the 2012
State Council Opinions on Implementing the Strictest Water Resources Management
Strategy and the 2015 State Council Water Pollution Control Action Plan, reiterated
the need to integrate allocate water resources, including the recycled water.
The reason for MOHURD to be involved in the management of the recycled water
is from its responsibility to guide urban wastewater treatment. The recycled water can
be reasonably regarded as a part or the extension of wastewater treatment activities,
a water service. Therefore, the management of MOHURD emphasizes technology,
operation and security, and water quality.
In summary, at present, there is no clear management agency responsible for the
management of the recycled water use. Both MWR and MOHURD are managed
blurredly from the present functions. This has affected the use of the recycled water.
10.4.3 Management Instruments
Under the promotion to use and unclear management agencies, some instruments are
attempted to introduce to manage the recycled water use, such as planning, permits,
and pricing policy.
The 2006 Technological Policy for Urban Wastewater Recycled Use by the
Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Sciences and Technology defined the