Stormwater Utilization as an Environmental-Friendly Method to Alleviate Urban Water Resources Crisis: Taking Qingdao as an Example

Abstract

China economy has been keeping a high growth rate in recent years. The water resources consumption grows continually in Chinese urban areas, and urban water resources crisis is becoming more conspicuous. This situation causes arange of resources and environmental problems. It is urgent to solve the urban water crisis for China sustainable development. Seawater desalination, reclaimed water reuse and storm water utilization are three possible ways to alleviate the urban water resource (resources)crisis. The operating costs comparison shows that storm water utilization is the most economical way than the other two. Qingdao, one of the absolute water shortage Chinese cities, is taken as an example to determine the storm water utilization potential based on the monthly precipitation data from 1986 to 2005. According to Qingdao medium and long-term development planning, the water shortage volume in different periods is forecasted. Comparing the storm water utilization potential with the water shortage volume in the same period, it infers that storm water utilization is effective to alleviate water crises in most Chinese cities and boost the socio-economic in a healthy and sustainable way.