Qicai Lake becomes Baiyun's ecological demonstration project

Qicai Lake, a once odorous location in Baiyun district in Guangzhou, Southwest China's Guizhou province, has been transformed into a beautiful park after ecological treatment.

Qicai Lake is located at the intersection of the Dashandong, Dachuan Baijin, and aluminum factory areas within the jurisdiction of Baiyun.

In the 1970s, the area was not yet a lake, but just a few fish ponds. As the area gradually expanded, the lake formed.

The surrounding communities, shops, and population later became denser and denser, and supporting facilities such as sewage interception pipes fell into disrepair, as they were unable to meet the rapidly growing demand for sewage discharge.

These problems resulted in sewage overflowing into the lake, which then became a pool of polluted and odorous water.

In April 2017, Baiyun established the Guizhou Yunxin Water Environment Industry Co, which is responsible for implementing and overseeing projects that will comprehensively improve the water quality of the Maijia River Basin in Baiyun district.

Among the projects, the comprehensive improvement project of Qicai Lake has become a model for the treatment of black and odorous water bodies.

The Qicai Lake project had an investment of about 370 million yuan ($55.22 million), and one of its important tasks was to build a new buried water reclamation plant with a daily treatment capacity of 20,000 cubic meters.

Construction on the water plant started in May 2018 and officially began operation in July 2020. It mainly treats domestic sewage from surrounding areas such as Jichang village and Gongjiazhai.

It serves an area of about 4.8 square kilometers and a population of about 94,000 people.

Through the water plant, surrounding domestic sewage now undergoes three major processes: pretreatment, biological treatment and advanced treatment.

Only after all water data indicators are up to standard can the now reclaimed water be discharged from the outlet. The water finally flows to and replenishes the Maijia River.

In April 2019, Qicai Lake Park completed construction and opened to the public, becoming a good place for nearby residents to relax and enjoy nature.