The open green space located at the intersection of Boshi Road and Tongpu Road in Changzheng Town, Putuo District, has recently started using filtered water from the Waibang River.

This comprehensive water utilization project is expected to draw 18,000 cubic meters of water annually, all of which will be used to irrigate about 15 hectares of public green space within a 1-kilometer radius.

On site, before using the water, irrigation pipes are connected to the water intake, the amount of water needed is entered into the smart control system, and a special IC card is swiped to access the water. The river water is first pumped into an underground tank on the shore, where it is settled and filtered before being lifted to the intake point.

The smart control system sets a water price of 0.1 yuan (1.38 US cents) per cubic meter. This is because river and lake water cannot be freely extracted without permission. The project in Putuo District has obtained a water extraction permit, and its necessity has been studied and demonstrated.

According to an official from the district's water department, compared to using tap water, the cost of using nearby river water is only a fraction of that of tap water, significantly reducing the costs for water-using units. Additionally, it improves the ecosystem, as filtered river water contains trace elements and minerals that promote plant growth. Moreover, using nearby river water reduces energy consumption and carbon emissions.

Data released by Shanghai's water authority shows that the city's total water consumption in 2023 was 7.327 billion cubic meters, 369 million cubic meters less than in 2022. Meanwhile, the water consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP was 16 cubic meters, a decrease of 15.8 percent compared to 2020.