Shanghai is promoting the sale of recycled water among corporations as a way to save the resource, the Shanghai Water Authority said yesterday, the beginning of the annual water saving week nationwide.
In one trial project, Shanghai Shenmei Beverage & Food Co Ltd, the local producer of Coca-Cola, will pump its reclaimed water from its factory in the Pudong New Area to Sharp China, which is in the same industrial park, according to the water authority.
Shenmei’s reclaimed water was produced after purifying the water used to wash beverage bottles. It will be used to flush toilets or as cooling water for Sharp’s air-conditioners.
“Reclaimed water is treated wastewater,” said Gui Yi, an official with the water authority.
“The quality is between tap water and sewage as solids and certain impurities have been removed. The water can be used in landscaping irrigation, to flush toilets and clean streets, or as cooling water for factories.”
Gu added the idea is to conserve water and practice the sustainable use of resources, rather than simply discharging treated water into rivers.
Shenmei produces about 2,000 cubic meters of reclaimed water every day, and with the new system, 250 cubic meters will be piped to Sharp China. Sharp will pay Shenmei for the water, about 50 percent of the tap water price.
“It’s a win-win situation,” Gui said. “For Shenmei, the money can be used to maintain the pipes and pumping system while Sharp reduces its water bill.”
Gu said the system could help the city save 30,000 cubic meters of tap water per year. If the trial goes well, the plan is to duplicate it at more industrial parks across the city.
“This one is only the first phase, Shenmei has started planning to build the same system in its other factory in Minhang District,” Gui added.
Meanwhile, in other efforts to save water, Shanghai will also change 20,000 old taps this year for residents in old neighborhoods in Hongkou and Zhabei districts for free, the authority said.
Gui said the new taps will use about 30 percent less water than the old ones.
By the weekend, 5,500 old taps had already been replaced.
The authority is also promoting a car wash that uses 99 percent less water than a regular car wash.
