The Chinese government has promulgated a set of three criteria on the classification and recycling of waste water in urban districts.

The criteria, which will become effective on May 1, cover the classification of waste water, the quality of recycled water, and the use of recycled water in environmental projects.

Operation of the criteria will fill a gap in water recycling in cities, provide a technical basis for waste water use and play a positive role in the sustainable use of China's limited water resources, the Popular Science and Technology News said.

Industrial enterprises and urban residents across China discharged 42.8 billion tons of waste water in 2001, of which 20 billion tons were industrial waste water and the remainder domestic waste. Some 70 percent of domestic waste could be recycled.

However, only 40 percent of waste water is recycled in China at present compared with 75-85 percent in industrialized countries, causing a huge waste in water resources, the paper said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2003)