Expert interpretation | Vigorously promote the development of water-saving industry as an important starting point for water-saving work

Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission and six other departments jointly issued the "Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Water-saving Industry" (Fagaihuanzi [2024] No. 898, hereinafter referred to as the "Guiding Opinions" ), focusing on the key links and key issues in the current development of the water-saving industry, and proposing practical measures to promote the development of the water-saving industry, which is of great significance to improving the level of water conservation and utilization by promoting the development of the water-saving industry.

1. Strengthen the cultivation and leadership of leading enterprises to make the water-saving industry "vital"

Enterprise development is an industry The confidence and resilience of development are the key forces to promote industrial development. Making great efforts to cultivate and strengthen key enterprises and giving full play to the leading and driving role of leading enterprises is to seize the foundation and key to achieve high-quality development of the industry. The development of the water-saving industry and the further improvement of the quality and efficiency of water-saving work are also inseparable from the effective cultivation of leading enterprises in the water-saving industry.

The "Guiding Opinions" focus on the cultivation of key enterprises in the water-saving industry and arrange two key tasks: First, strive to promote the incubation, cultivation and growth of water-saving enterprises, and promote the formation of a group of strong innovative capabilities. , water-saving product equipment manufacturing enterprises and service enterprises with high management level and international competitiveness, cultivate a group of leading enterprises in the fields of water-saving design and research and development, product equipment manufacturing, water-saving project construction, water-saving management services, etc., and give full play to their leadership The industrial main engine role of the enterprise. The second is to encourage the cluster development of water-saving industries, and encourage localities to combine their own industrial development foundations and advantages to build water-saving equipment manufacturing industry clusters in areas with concentrated industrial development factors and strong manufacturing foundations; in arid areas in the northwest, rainy areas in the south, and the Yellow River In areas with high water consumption industries in the basin, a number of specialized water-saving service enterprises should be cultivated according to local conditions.

2. Strengthen the supply of water-saving products and equipment to give water-saving work a "hands-on"

Although the scarcity of water resources and the importance of water conservation have become a general consensus in society, enterprise production and residents' lives cannot be separated from water. How to balance the needs of production and life with water conservation is crucial. By developing water-saving industries,Expanding the supply of high-efficiency water-saving products and equipment can allow enterprises and residents to improve water efficiency in the process of industrial upgrading and improvement of quality of life, making water-saving work feasible and feasible.

The "Guiding Opinions" seize the opportunity of supplying high-efficiency water-saving products and equipment, work from the supply side, and support product and equipment manufacturing enterprises to build water-saving products and equipment from basic raw materials to terminal consumer goods. The supply system provides strong support for the majority of enterprises and consumers to participate in water conservation. From the perspective of the supply of water-saving equipment to enterprises, the "Guidance Opinions" propose to regularly publish the "National Mature and Applicable Water-saving Technology Promotion Catalog" and the "State-Encouraged Industrial Water-saving Technology, Technology and Equipment Catalog" to promote the update of large-scale water-saving equipment and accelerate Eliminate outdated water-saving equipment and promote the upgrading of water-saving equipment; from the perspective of supply of water-saving products for consumers, the "Guiding Opinions" proposes to formulate a national water-saving product certification catalog and incorporate it into the green product certification and labeling system to promote the replacement of old consumer goods with new ones so that residents can In the process of replacing old consumer goods with new ones, it can effectively save water and achieve both improvement in quality of life and water-saving efficiency.

3. Innovate water-saving management and service models to “professionalize” water-saving work

my country’s industry and agriculture Water consumption accounts for more than 70% of the total water consumption. Industrial water conservation is a key area of ​​water conservation work. However, industrial water conservation is a very professional task and requires additional investment from water users. In order to effectively mobilize the enthusiasm of water-saving enterprises, my country has proposed to implement the "contract water-saving management" model in recent years. It mainly involves water-saving service enterprises and water users in the form of contracts to raise capital, integrate advanced technologies, and provide water-saving transformation and management for water users. and other services, to gain revenue by sharing water-saving benefits, and effectively promote the professional development of water-saving work.

The "Guiding Opinions" propose that contract water-saving management should be vigorously promoted in high-water-consuming industries and fields, and the innovation of water-saving management models should be promoted: First, in public institutions such as government agencies, schools, and hospitals , adopt models such as purchasing services or hosting to carry out contract water conservation management; the second is to encourage high water consumption service industries to carry out contract water conservation management; the third is to focus on water balance testing services, recycled water utilization, water use process reengineering and intelligent management and control of water use systems. , implement contract water-saving management in high-water-consuming industries such as thermal power generation, steel, textile, papermaking, and petrochemicals; fourth, explore the implementation of contract water-saving management in agricultural efficient water-saving irrigation, urban water supply network leakage control, and water environment management. manage. By carrying out contract water-saving management, we can improve the level of industrial water-saving, cultivate professional water-saving service industries, and provide strong industrial support for industrial water-saving.

Four. Strengthen scientific and technological innovation in the water-saving industry, so that the water-saving industry "has a solid foundation""Qi"

The high-quality development of the industry cannot be separated from the innovation drive. As an important part of the green economy, the water-saving industry cannot achieve better development without technological innovation. Strong support. Especially in some key industries, key areas and key links, water conservation work faces some technical bottlenecks and constraints, and breakthroughs need to be achieved through innovation.

Focus of the "Guidance Opinions". Scientific and technological innovation in the water-saving industry has been comprehensively deployed from the cultivation of innovative subjects and the main direction of innovation: focusing on the cultivation of innovative subjects, the "Guiding Opinions" propose to give full play to the role of a national scientific and technological innovation platform, build a water-saving scientific and technological innovation center and experimental base, and strengthen the enterprise The main position of innovation supports enterprises to take the lead in undertaking water-saving national science and technology plan projects; focusing on the main direction of innovation, the "Guiding Opinions" proposes to promote core technology research on stuck necks, strengthen water-saving system integration technology research, and promote key commonalities such as the recycling of organic wastewater. A breakthrough in technology.

The development of water-saving industry is related to the conservation and intensive utilization of water resources, the construction of ecological civilization and sustainable economic and social development, and the "Guiding Opinions". 》points out the direction for the development of my country's water-saving industry and puts forward specific requirements. All localities and relevant departments should take the "Guiding Opinions" as a guide and regard the development of water-saving industry as a key measure to achieve new results in water-saving work in the new era, and accelerate the development of water-saving industry. Promote and effectively implement (Author: Zhang Deyuan, associate researcher at China Institute of Macroeconomics)

Original title: Vigorously promote the development of water-saving industry as an important starting point for water-saving work - "About Interpretation 1 of "Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Water-Saving Industry"