Utilizing reclaimed water to enhance the sustainability of the water environment in valley urbanization in Chongqing

Abstract

The process of urbanization would result in a series of environmental issues, posing significant challenges to the urban water environment and consequently impact the overall sustainability of urban development. The evaluation of the sustainability of urban water environment has attracted more and more attention from scholars and urban planners in both governments and civil societies. Climate change will exacerbate water scarcity and, along with population growth, land use and energy choices, make the sustainability of water environment a moving target. The cities in valley areas face greater uncertainty in environmental integrity due to their unique spatial patterns and hydrological and water resources conditions. This thesis evaluates the sustainability of the water environment sustainability and the role of reclaimed water use on sustainability in valley cities in Chongqing, Southwestern China, which, like most Chinese cities, are still in the process of urbanization. The study classified valley cities and identified their water environment characteristics by building models of “conceptual valley city” and “conceptual water system”. An evaluation indicator system and methodology for assessing water environment sustainability in valley cities are developed through a comprehensive challenging analysis. The indicator framework encompasses four elements: water resource diversity, water environment quality, water ecological health, and low carbon emissions.