Original Title: One Water, One Strategy: 3.05 Million Square Meters of Black and Odorous Water Bodies “Revived”
Chongqing Explores New Paths for Rural Sewage Treatment in Mountainous Areas, Benefiting 822,000 People
During the End of Heat season, in Tuan Shi Village, Fuguo Town, Tongliang, the Jiuyuan River meanders, with several egrets flying over the water.
The section of the Jiuyuan River in Tuan Shi Village was once identified as one of the rural black and odorous water bodies in Tongliang. After actions to control agricultural non-point source pollution along the riverbanks and clean up sections with debris accumulation, the Jiuyuan River has regained its clear water and green banks.
There are many similar examples.
Chongqing has targeted rivers, ponds, ditches, and reservoirs larger than 200 square meters in rural areas, as well as small water bodies near homes that have drawn strong reactions, creating a comprehensive “one water, one strategy” problem list. Tailored strategies for rural black and odorous water treatment have been implemented, focusing on “source interception and pollution control, ecological treatment during the process, and comprehensive end-use.”
By June 2025, Chongqing completed the dynamic elimination of rural black and odorous water bodies ahead of schedule. Leveraging the improved water bodies, various districts and counties in Chongqing have developed leisure and tourism attractions, attracting many tourists on weekends and holidays, boosting villagers’ income and converting ecological benefits into economic gains.
“One Water, One Strategy” Completes Treatment of 3.05 Million Square Meters of Rural Black and Odorous Water Bodies
Also in Tongliang, the Kujing Shanping Pond in Sanduo Village, Fuguo Town, was once a black and odorous water body.
“In summer, it would bubble and stink badly,” said a villager living nearby. Villagers did not dare to use the water for irrigation, and poultry that drank from it would get sick.
After on-site investigation, environmental officials found that the Kujing Shanping Pond was adjacent to farmland, heavily affected by agricultural non-point source pollution, lacked a water source, and had almost no self-purification capacity.
“We adhered to ‘one water, one strategy,’ analyzing the main causes of pollution for each identified water body and developing treatment plans. Towns and streets then implemented the treatments according to the schedule,” explained a relevant official. For the Kujing Shanping Pond, Tongliang created an aquatic plant purification zone to form a buffer that filters and degrades agricultural non-point source pollution, enhancing the water’s self-purification capacity and improving its quality over time.
In Yongchuan, the Shuihua Base by the Dazhu River in Weixinghu Street is a nationally known production base for “freshwater fish fry.” “Yongchuan Shuihua” is a famous geographical trademark in Chongqing, with fry sales extending across China and to countries like Russia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, generating an annual output value of over 30 million yuan.
However, the Shuihua Base once faced the risk of shutdown.
“During breeding, farmers would add egg whites and feed to the ponds, and untreated aquaculture tailwater was directly discharged into the Dazhu River, causing eutrophication and reducing the water quality to below Grade V,” said a relevant official. With the strong push for rural black and odorous water treatment, the base was at risk of being shut down.
To preserve the Shuihua industry, Yongchuan fully implemented a “water ecological restoration + non-point source pollution control” project at the base.
“Through the treatment, not only has the Dazhu River become clean again, but the shutdown of the Shuihua Base was also avoided,” said a local farmer. Building on the black and odorous water treatment, farmers, guided by the government, developed “Xinghu Fry” breeding, extending the “Yongchuan Shuihua” industry chain and helping increase villagers’ income.
To date, all 1,314 rural black and odorous water bodies, covering 3.05 million square meters that were dynamically identified and documented, have been treated, directly benefiting 822,000 rural residents.
Comprehensive Measures Create 3,379 Leading Beautiful Bayu Countryside Villages
Recently, in Group 1 of Xinchang Village, Sanhe Town, Bishan District, a wetland park of about 6,000 square meters was in full bloom with canna flowers and dotted with water lilies, with many villagers resting in