Author(s): Jim Griffiths; Faith Ka Shun Chan; Yuting Tang
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Keywords: Water management practice; Urbanization; Ningbo
Abstract: In 2011, China had an estimated rural population of approximately 656 million (49% of its total population). Despite recent economic development in rural areas, the countryside lags far behind urban areas in terms of basic infrastructure and standards of living. On-going challenges that face water managers include the shortage and low quality of drinking water supply in rural areas, and insufficient sanitation services. An example of the dichotomy between rural and urban areas can be seen within Ningbo Municipality (Zhejiang Province, China), where despite rapid economic development since the late 1970s, rural communities still lag behind urban areas in terms of both basic infrastructure and economic development. This paper looks at the development of water management within the municipality of Ningbo as a whole, in order to help explain some of the differences seen between water accessibility urban and rural areas today. Historical information is first used to describe the development of water management infrastructure in Ningbo, starting with the construction of Ta Shan Wier in the Tang Dynasty (833AD), and the associated system of sluice gates and drainage channels to allow supply of fresh water and protection from saline intrusion. The survival of such features to this day is echoed in more contemporary urban structures that now include over one thousand sluices, 800 km of river dykes and 3, 000 km of river course. By 2005, the total water-supply capacity of water resource projects in Ningbo Municipality had reached 21 billion m3, and now serves a municipal population of over 5. 5 million people. The development of water management is reviewed in order to both illustrate the influence of that historical water management practice has had on contemporary management, and also to suggest further ways in which future development can learn from traditional methods.
Year: 2013