Suzhou Creek is Shanghai's Comeback Kid
ADB Review [ December 2006 - January 2007 ]
Shanghai's Suzhou Creek, a tributary
to the Huangpu River, which cuts
across Shanghai before meeting the
mighty Yangtze River, breathes almost normally
these days, thanks to the efforts of
the city government and people of Shanghai.
The once murky and fetid river has
been transformed into an ecological wonder.
RIVER REVIVAL Shanghai has turned from
its polluting ways to now be Suzhou Creek's best friend—promoting and protecting it from dumping of urban water
For too many decades, though, the 53
kilometers of the river served as a convenient
sewer for the city as Shanghai grew
to become one of the world's largest megacities.
The 1970s and 1980s saw Suzhou
Creek in a sordid state as the water turned
black and putrid. Makeshift houses and
small industries lined the riverbanks, adding
to the polluted waters. A green heart to
the city was a distant dream.
Shanghai's government embarked on
the huge task to clean up the Suzhou Creek
through the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) financed Suzhou Creek Rehabilitation
Project. The major problem proved to
be the task of managing the continuous
stream of raw sewage dumped into the river
and the adjoining canals. The project constructed
control gates to control flows of
waste from side canals and to increase water flow in the main channels. The city
used special boats to pump oxygen into the
river to improve water quality.
The old wharves, industries, and houses
along the river were dismantled and relocated.
The project supported a comprehensive
resettlement plan that ensured the
relocation of 7,700 people affected by the
rehabilitation project; and also created new
employment opportunities for almost 4,000
skilled and unskilled workers.
Wastewater is now collected in a sewer
network that transports it to be processed
at a state-of-the-art water treatment plant.
Once treated, the water is discharged back
into the river, helping flush out more filth.
The network and treatment process is "an
essential, basic measure" to prevent sewage
from entering the river, says Xu Zuo
Zheng, General Manager of the Shanghai
Suzhou Creek Rehabilitation Construction
Company.
The city government is rightly proud of
a new solid waste transfer station, which
has replaced numerous unsightly barges
that once collected and transported solid
waste. Built in Jing'an District, in the heart
of Shanghai, the garbage transfer station is
of the best international design and is often
mistaken as a typically stylish urban
building, its true function unsuspected.
After the cleanup was completed in September
2005, the city government invited
residents to plant trees and flowering
bushes in new parks created along the banks
of Suzhou Creek. Getting the people's support
and involvement was an important element contributing to the success of the
rehabilitation efforts, says Eri Honda, an
Urban Development Specialist at ADB.
The government invited older residents to
write poetry about the beautiful Suzhou
River they remembered from their youth.
A new museum about the history of
Suzhou Creek was built to promote greater
environmental awareness among Shanghai
residents. Residents now enjoy the river and
some even do their early morning exercises
along the banks.
The revival of Suzhou Creek continues,
with hopes of bringing back aquatic life
by 2010. Mr. Xu says, "With improved water
quality and the renewal of the embankments,
Suzhou Creek should become a
place for sightseeing and tourism." Ms.
Honda says she has already seen many
people canoeing in the river.
For Shanghai residents, maintaining
Suzhou Creek's health means keeping their
city healthy and alive. Vice Director Zhu
Shiqing, of the Shanghai Water Authority,
says, "Environmental protection is now the
city's priority. If the environment is not protected,
economic development will be
negatively affected."
Get your free copy
of the DVD, "China's Water Challenge," which features the cleanup of the Suzhou Creek.
Know more about the Suzhou Creek Rehabilitation Project
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