—— Vote for “Liupanshui Sponge City” project, vote for SafBon

We are proud to announce that the “Liupanshui Sponge City” project of Safbon is nominated for Water/Wastewater Project of the Year.Voting will open on 6th March 2017 to all eligible voting groups.

The ceremony held by GWI (Global Water Intelligence) will take place on the evening of 24th April 2017 at the beautiful Palacio de Ciebeles, Madrid, Spain.

For more details of the project, see more information below:

Liupanshui Sponge City, China

What is it?

A pollution and stormwater management project covering a 23km stretch of the Shuicheng river in Liupanshui city in Western China, which has a population of around 5 million people.

Note: A“Sponge City” refers to a city where its urban underground water systemoperates like a sponge to absorb, store, leak and purify rainwater and releaseit for reuse when necessary.

Who is involved?

Shenzhen-listed project developer Shanghai Safbon Water Service has invested RMB1.7 billion ($250 million) and owns 100% of the project company. The owner of the project is the municipal government of Liupanshui.

What makes it special?

Since this pioneering project started in January 2015, the concept of the sponge city has swept across China, drawing billions of dollars of subsidy pledges from Beijing. Safbon installed a deepsewer below the river, pulling hazardous municipal and industrial wastewater downstream to a new 100,000m³/d treatment plant. Fourteen flap dams, a 15km retaining wall and two new artificial wetlands tackle flood risk, while simultaneously reducing dust and purifying water to allow wildlife to thrive.

Decades of industrial pollution development in the narrow Liupanshui valley had slashed the value of riverside real estate.Safbon's ambitious programme put water back at the heart of the city's cultural and economic life, returning a revenue source to the local government. The landscaped rainwater collection systems have transformed the aesthetic reputation of the city, which directed its July 2016 marathon along the new permeable riverside walkways.

A network of pumping stations and pipelines divert stormwater and secondary treated wastewater to replenish river flows in the dry season. Crucially, the reuse of up to 201 million m³ of water every year will allow the city to defer capital investment in new water supply sources.