Research on the Current Problems, Potential, and Countermeasures of Sewage Treatment and Reuse in Yan’an

Yan’an is located in the loess hilly-gully area and belongs to a typical mountainous strip city with very scarce water resources. The current reclaimed water supply is less than 1.3% of the total urban water supply. There are three sewage treatment plants in the central city, the sewage collection pipeline network has been built for 238.16 km, and the reclaimed water pipeline is about 28 km. In the utilization of urban sewage water in Yan’an, there are problems such as imperfect sewage collection and reuse pipe network, unsmooth management system, unsound policy system, and insufficient funds. The sewage water utilization potential in Yan’an which predicted by index analysis is 44,900 m3/d in 2025 and 68,600 m3/d in 2030. Engineering countermeasures for the construction of sewage treatment facilities and pipe networks, with non-engineering countermeasures for the mechanisms, systems, funds, water prices, operation modes, professionals, propaganda, and demonstration are proposed, which has reference significance for similar cities to use sewage water.