Standing by the Huai Yuan Lake in Xiang'an District, Xiamen City, with rippling blue waves, surrounded by lush flowers and trees, the coastal homestays and cafes are arranged in a staggered manner, attracting a multitude of visitors. It's hard to see that a few years ago, this place was still an unavoidable 'stinky pond'. Previously, this lake dried up and emitted a foul odor. Now that the water is clear, fish and shrimp have returned, and our doorstep has become a scenic spot! "Exclaimed local villager Lao Chen with emotion. The former 'stinky pond' has become the green heart of the city. The key to the magnificent transformation of Huaiyuan Lake, as shown in the picture provided by Xiamen Municipal Environmental Science and Technology Company, is hidden in a water replenishment outlet by the lake - every day, tens of thousands of tons of recycled water from the Aotou Water Purification Plant quietly flows into the lake. The source of this clear stream is the wisdom crystallization of urban water cycle. Domestic sewage undergoes deep treatment in a water purification plant, and the effluent meets the national surface water standard of Class 4. The effluent that was originally discharged into the sea is transformed into "artificial living water" through an underground pipeline network, which not only brings Huaiyuan Lake to life, but also makes the lakeside scenery "beautiful" and the industry "prosperous". The continuous injection of live water from the Aotou Water Purification Plant brings vitality to Huaiyuan Lake. The regenerated water from our Aotou Water Purification Plant is used for ecological replenishment of Huaiyuan Lake, effectively improving the water dynamics of Huaiyuan Lake, enhancing the self purification ability of the water body, and effectively improving the water quality of Huaiyuan Lake. "Ma Cong, Chief Engineer of Xiamen Municipal Environmental Technology Co., Ltd., introduced that since the launch of the water replenishment project in 2021, the water quality at the outlet of Huaiyuan Lake has been stable and up to standard, and the self purification ability has significantly improved. The good ecology has brought about industrial agglomeration, and industries such as homestays and catering have flourished. Behind the "rebirth" of Huaiyuan Lake is Xiamen's relentless pursuit of recycled water utilization. Although Xiamen is a coastal city, it suffers from water shortage due to water quality. Therefore, we strive to improve the recycling rate of recycled water as much as possible. Currently, Xiamen's recycled water utilization rate has reached 36.8%, exceeding the 25% target set by the national ten ministries and commissions. In areas with severe water shortage such as Xiang'an District and Tong'an District outside the island, the recycling rate of recycled water has reached 100%, mainly used for ecological water replenishment, green irrigation, and road flushing. How can a drop of sewage "transform" into a "versatile" for landscape, irrigation, and industry? After entering the water purification plant, every drop of sewage needs to undergo a rigorous process of "physical screening biological degradation chemical treatment". After removing large particle impurities, the activated sludge method is used to decompose major pollutants such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon by microorganisms, and then further purify the water quality through chemical agents, ultimately becoming a clean and usable regenerated water droplet. Microorganisms' consumption 'of pollutants results in the stabilization and harmless treatment of sludge, and the thermal energy contained in it is further utilized as a resource Ma Cong vividly explained that these sludge and household waste are co incinerated to generate electricity using their residual heat value, truly achieving "zero increase in pollution and waste". In Xiamen, not only can every drop of sewage be regenerated and recycled, but every gram of garbage can also be turned into treasure. At present, there are a total of 5 waste incineration power generation projects in Xiamen, all of which are operated by Xiamen Municipal Environmental Energy Company and have all been rated as national "AAA level household waste incineration plants". These waste incineration power generation projects process approximately 1.8 million tons of household waste annually and generate approximately 820 million kilowatt hours of electricity, which can meet the electricity needs of about 120000 households. It is precisely with these 'big stomach kings' that urban waste can be cleared daily. Garbage can not only generate electricity, but also provide heat. Entering the Xiang'an Renewable Energy Power Plant, high-temperature steam exceeding 200 ℃ is transported through pipelines to surrounding industrial parks, bringing green energy to the enterprise. The person in charge of the relevant department of Xiamen Municipal Environmental Energy Company introduced that in May last year, the company invested in the construction of the Xiang'an District centralized heating project, which uses waste heat from garbage incineration power generation as the main heat source for centralized heating, implements "cogeneration" of garbage incineration, and promotes the tiered utilization of energy. The project has the ability to provide stable steam of about 3600 tons per day, and after reaching production, it can reduce standard coal consumption by about 170000 tons per year and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 420000 tons per year, helping to achieve the "dual carbon" goal. Garbage is treasure all over the body. Not only can it generate electricity and heat, but it can also turn it into diesel and raise insects The person in charge of the relevant department of Xiamen Municipal Environmental Energy Company explained that the organic slurry in kitchen waste is separated and decomposed into crude oil and organic solid residue. The former can be refined and processed into biodiesel to replace fossil fuels, while the latter can be used as green fertilizers or for breeding high protein insects. Xiang'an Renewable Energy Power Plant. Xiamen Municipal Environmental Energy Company's sewage has been "reborn" as the lifeblood of ecology, and garbage has "lit up" thousands of lights. In Xiamen, waste is no longer a burden on the city, but a "green lever" to leverage the circular economy. In the practice of building a "zero waste city", Xiamen Municipal Government takes collaborative innovation as the engine and resource recycling as the path, weaving the concept of "zero waste" into the urban fabric, and interpreting the development concept of green, low-carbon, and circular with practical actions. (New Society)