The effect of the urban wastewater treatment ratio on agricultural water productivity: based on provincial data of China in 2004\u20132010

Abstract

China’s urbanization has always required the support of rural areas. By 2014, urban wastewater pollution had become a serious problem in China and this drew the public’s attention to the urban water environment. As a result, the government now requires a new type of urbanization, with simultaneous development of high-quality rural areas. Improving the economic, social and environmental influence of urban development on rural areas helps to improve urbanization and make rural areas more sustainable. This article focuses on a particular question: Have urban wastewater emissions affected the efficiency of agricultural water use? Using provincial panel data for 2004–2010, we analyze how the increase in the urban wastewater treatment ratio has changed China’s agricultural water productivity. The effect is shown to be prominent, irrespective of whether the urbanization ratio is high or low. This effect is most significant when the urbanization ratio is highest or when society pays more attention to urban environmental governance. The influence has regional heterogeneity and is also affected by various other policy settings. The results provide helpful guidance for cities as they focus on rural impacts as part of the new type of urbanization policies.