Sustainable urban sewerage system and its application in China

China is facing water crisis. More than 400 cities are lacking enough water resources and more than half rivers are polluted. To realize sustainable development in the 21st century, we should first provide enough water resources to every person and keep a friendly, leisurely water environment. Under the idea of sustainability, a concept for a sustainable urban sewerage system (SUSS) is put forward in this article. An urban sewerage system cannot only be a basic facility for draining rainwater and wastewater to protect the urban environment and public water bodies, but must also contribute to the restoration of the water environment in order to maintain a healthy social water cycle. A SUSS should be the basis for urban water reuse and recycling as well as the focus of water resource regeneration in a watershed and the centre of the recycling of nutrients. SUSS practices in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Beijing region in China are introduced.