Recycled water, known as the "second water source" of urban areas, is an effective supplement to alleviate water scarcity. Recently, it is issued by the Municipal Ecological Environment Bureau that Huzhou has become the only city in the province to be selected as a pilot city for regional recycled water utilization in the second batch announced by the Office of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

 Regional recycled water utilization involves the construction of artificial wetland water purification facilities at key points downstream of major sewage outlets, where rivers flow into lakes (or seas), and where tributaries merge into main streams. After the treated water meets the standards, it undergoes further purification and improvement, and is then utilized in a certain area for the recycling of sewage resources for production, ecology, and daily life.

 In recent years, Huzhou has focused its approach to water usage on the base of local conditions, promoting the reuse of recycled water. They have successively introduced the "14th Five-Year Plan for Water Ecological Environment Protection in Huzhou" and the "14th Five-Year Plan for Water Conservation in Huzhou," incorporating unconventional water use into the overall urban water supply and drainage planning. Currently, 47 urban sewage treatment plants in the city have completed upgrading to meet standards, with the treated water quality reaching Class IV surface water standards. Among them, 35 sewage treatment plants have implemented the reuse of treated water according to local conditions, including landscape replenishment, municipal miscellaneous use, and industrial utilization. The development and utilization of recycled water continue to increase.

  During the pilot period, the city will fully leverage the advantages of being one of the first national pilot cities for pollution reduction and carbon reduction innovation, focusing on water resource allocation, comprehensive monitoring and supervision throughout the process, and policy incentive mechanisms to promote and encourage the use of recycled water. Active planning and implementation of the Renhuangshan Regional Water System Comprehensive Management Project and the Anji Jinshan Sewage Treatment Plant tailwater artificial wetland water purification and recycled water utilization project will be carried out, which will coordinate all aspects of recycled water production, allocation, utilization, and supervision, effectively promoting the balance of sewage treatment and wetland purification capabilities, and matching the production and usage demands of recycled water.