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Country Water Action: People's Republic of China
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Shanghai’s government embarked on the huge task of cleaning Suzhou Creek through the ADB-financed Suzhou Creek Rehabilitation Project. The city government tackled the pollution problems head-on with bold moves to restore the river’s original ecology.
The most difficult task proved to be reducing and managing sewage dumped daily into the river and its adjoining canals. A pipe-system now collects wastewater which is then transported and processed at a state-of-the-art water treatment plant. Once treated, the water is discharged back into the river to flush out more filth. This process is “an essential, basic measure,” says Xu Zuo Zheng, General Manager of the Shanghai Suzhou Creek Rehabilitation Construction Company, as this prevents sewage from entering the river. Other strategies employed by the project included:
The 53 kilometers of the Suzhou Creek running through Shanghai served as convenient sewer for the city as it grew to become one of the world’s largest mega-cities and the engine of PRC’s dynamic economy.
Hundreds of barges transporting goods and solid waste out of the city once plied this waterway. Wharves along the river served as loading docks, and became one of the sources of the river’s foul smell. Large amounts of discharge of untreated industrial and municipal wastewater were also dumped in its many canals. Algae choked its surface.
The 1970s and 1980s saw the worst sordid state of Suzhou Creek as it turned black and putrid. Makeshift houses lined the riverbanks and greenery could barely grow. It was not until 1999 that changes in the river’s state became apparent. Today, with the Suzhou Creek Rehabilitation Project, Suzhou Creek’s stench is gone and it no longer flows black.
With the daunting task of resuscitating the river finally in full swing, the beautification of the riverbanks began. The old wharves and houses were dismantled and a comprehensive resettlement plan ensured the relocation of 7,700 people affected by the rehabilitation project. Employment opportunities were opened to almost 4,000 skilled and unskilled workers.
Trees and flowering bushes were planted. Promenades were put in place, as well as a new museum about the history of Suzhou Creek to increase environmental awareness among Shanghai citizens. Residents now enjoy the river and some even do their early morning exercises along the banks.
But what the city government boasts of most proudly is the new Jing’an solid waste transfer station, which takes the place of the unsightly barges that once collected urban trash. Built in Jing’an District in the heart of Shanghai, the garbage transfer station is of the best international design and could easily be mistaken for any slick, modern, urban building. It does not emit foul odors and most people living near it did not even know it was a garbage station. Some thought it was a new park at the intersection.
The revival of Suzhou Creek continues. Shanghai has ambitious plans of bringing life back into the river. Their target is to improve the river’s water quality by 2010 to make it inhabitable by fish and other organisms. Xu Zuo Zheng says, “With improved water quality and the renewal of the embankments, Suzhou Creek should become a place for sightseeing and tourism.”
For Shanghai citizens, maintaining Suzhou Creek’s health means keeping their city healthy and alive. Vice Director Zhu Shiqing of the Shanghai Water Authority asserts, “Environmental protection is now the city’s priority. If the environment is not protected, economic development will be negatively affected. The leaders of the municipal government understand this very clearly. Taking care of the environment means helping Shanghai’s economy.”
View photo essay.
K. E. Seetharam
Principal Water and Sanitation Specialist
Email: water@adb.org
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