Chongqing - The Chongqing Municipal Bureau of City Management has set its sights on transforming the city into a more livable, resilient, and smart urban space through various initiatives, as announced in a press conference on December 28. 

Water, essential to the city's functioning and the well-being of its residents, is at the forefront of these initiatives. Xie Liguo, director of Chongqing Municipal Bureau of City Management, emphasized the importance of water quality in the Yangtze River, affecting the lives of around 400 million people along the river.

A significant part of the city's strategy involves enhancing its water supply facilities. To date, Chongqing has constructed 101 urban waterworks capable of processing 7.81 million tons of water daily. 

This effort is part of a comprehensive strategy to ensure a secure and reliable water supply from the source to the tap, resulting in over 1.9 billion tons of water being supplied throughout the year, benefiting approximately 19.529 million residents.

In 2023, Chongqing reported that its water supply's overall quality compliance rate remained above 98%, with the rate in the central urban areas reaching 99%, data shows. 

Bougainvillea colorfully decorates Chongqing's overpasses. (Photo/Chongqing Daily)

The creation of a national ecological garden city is another ambitious goal for Chongqing, where the Chongqing Municipal Bureau of City Management combined garden landscaping with the city's mountainous terrain, extensively planting flowers on urban structures like slopes, overpasses, bridges, and key park areas.

The city has made significant strides in enhancing public green spaces, creating 134 community sports cultural parks, 187 pocket parks, and over 2,200 urban parks. Notably, 136 green spaces across 78 urban parks are now open for public use, facilitating various outdoor activities.

Chongqing plans to continue its commitment to scientific, ecological, and economic principles in urban development, including enhancing street greening by diversifying plant varieties and expanding green areas.

The city's unique topography is also being leveraged to diversify planting forms. The goal is to build a continuous, varied strip landscape by selecting suitable locations for large-scale planting, reinforcing Chongqing's identity as a picturesque mountain city.