Abstract: Against the backdrop of ecological civilisation construction and the national strategy for the comprehensive protection of the Yangtze River, the traditional urban sewage treatment model focused on end-point treatment can no longer meet the requirements of high-quality development. This paper focuses on the Yangtze River Basin and explores the profound transformation of urban sewage treatment from "scale expansion and standard-compliant discharge" to "systematic governance and resource recycling." The paper argues that the key to improving quality and efficiency lies in establishing a new paradigm centred on "resource utilisation," encompassing the intensive optimisation of space and facilities, comprehensive resource recovery of sewage and its by-products, deep innovation in governance systems and mechanisms, and systematic governance through cross-regional collaboration. Through typical case studies in Wuhu, Yichang, Shiyan, Changzhou, and Luzhou within the Yangtze River Basin, this paper systematically outlines innovative practices such as "plant-network integration," underground storage, EOD development, and smart management, revealing the comprehensive value of the resource utilisation path in enhancing efficiency, ensuring water quality safety, and driving green industry. Ultimately, it provides theoretical references and practical insights for the green development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the construction of a Beautiful China.
Li et al. (Wed,) studied this question.