Sponge city construction makes a northern Chinese city "breathe"

Aerial photo taken on July 31, 2021 shows a vegetation buffer belt at the Huangtaihu Lake water conservation scenic spot in Qian'an City of north China's Hebei Province. [Xinhua/Mu Yu]

SHIJIAZHUANG -- Like many other cities in north China, Qian'an used to fall victim to urban flooding during rainy seasons. But things have changed for the better since 2015 when the city was included in a national pilot program for "sponge city construction."

Following the principle of precipitation reserving, permeating and clarifying in natural ways, the local authority set out to build a city that "breathes." Several years of uncompromising efforts not only put an end to urban flooding but also enabled a tremendous improvement in water supply and ecological system. Qian'an has therefore set itself as an example of "sponge city construction" for its peers in north China.

Aerial photo taken on Aug. 1, 2021 shows a project for comprehensive utilization of precipitation in Qian'an City of north China's Hebei Province. It helps absorb part of run-off incurred by precipitation in the city proper. [Xinhua/Mu Yu]

People ride bicycles in rain on a road paved with permeable surface in Qian'an City of north China's Hebei Province, on July 31, 2021. [Xinhua/Mu Yu]

A woman walks with her child on a trail paved with permeable surface at a residential compound in Qian'an City of north China's Hebei Province, on Aug. 1, 2021. [Xinhua/Mu Yu]

An opening is seen in the road curb, which ducts water away from road surface during precipitation, in Qian'an City of north China's Hebei Province, on Aug. 1, 2021. [Xinhua/Mu Yu]

Aerial photo taken on Aug. 1, 2021 shows a natural pond that helps reserve precipitation in the ecological corridor in Qian'an City of north China's Hebei Province. [Xinhua/Mu Yu]

Photo taken on Aug. 1, 2021 shows a sunk vegetation area at a residential compound in Qian'an City of north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)

A staff member explains the working mechanism of a sponge city over a model at an exhibition center in Qian'an City of north China's Hebei Province, on Aug. 1, 2021. [Xinhua/Mu Yu]

A staff member tests the function of permeable surface of a road in a primary school in Qian'an City of north China's Hebei Province, on Aug. 1, 2021. [Xinhua/Mu Yu]