On the evening of September 13, a national TV program exposed issues with rural sewage treatment in certain regions, highlighting problems such as idle equipment, sewage backflow, and the abandonment of multi-million-yuan treatment projects that were meant to benefit villagers but instead caused disruptions. In response, authorities in Jiangsu Province and Xuzhou City have moved swiftly to address the matter.
According to the People's Government of Tongshan District, Xuzhou City, a joint investigation team comprising representatives from the ecology and environment, agriculture and rural affairs, and water resources departments has been established. Personnel arrived at the affected sites on the evening of September 13 to commence the investigation and rectification efforts. The team will handle the findings in accordance with laws and regulations, ensuring transparency and public oversight throughout the process.
Where the Issues Were Found
In Yezhuang Village, Xuzhou's Tongshan District, reporters observed that the local sewage treatment station serves just over 30 households, resulting in low daily water consumption and minimal sewage output. Inspections of multiple manholes revealed still, sparse water with household garbage floating on the surface. The discharge outlet near the station showed only a weak flow. Maintenance staff confirmed that due to the small permanent population and low sewage generation, the pipeline network struggles to collect sufficient wastewater.
Workers disclosed that the Yezhuang station, lacking adequate influent for years, relied on recycling existing water within its tanks to keep equipment running—a "self-sourcing water" state of constant idle operation. Calculations show that normal operation consumes about 5 kWh daily, while the idle mode burns roughly 10 kWh, wasting over 3,600 kWh annually. Similar issues were found in Luzhuang, Wafang, and Shangzhoulou villages, where treatment stations ran continuously but handled negligible amounts of sewage due to extremely low collection and discharge volumes.
When Sewage Treatment Fails, It Adds to Pollution
In Shiduan Village, residents reported that the sewage facilities not only failed to treat wastewater but frequently caused overflow and backflow, creating nuisances. Even on dry days, sewage seeped from manholes, prompting villagers to seal openings with cement—yet leaks persisted. Inspections revealed black, foul-smelling sewage accumulating about 2 meters deep in one manhole, higher than the inlet pipes of households. This elevated water level created backpressure, preventing household sewage from flowing into the public network and forcing wastewater back into homes. With no other option, residents rerouted sewage directly into drainage ditches, undermining the project's original purpose of centralized treatment. Additionally, reporters noted widespread road subsidence, cracking, and damage along pipeline routes, with villagers alleging poor construction quality that also destroyed pre-existing roads. Upon excavating a collapsed section, they found pipes embedded directly in native soil without proper backfilling—a clear deviation from standards.
Multi-Million-Yuan Projects Left Idle, Yet Fees Apply
In Dongshan Village, also in Tongshan District, residents said the sewage treatment facility could not collect or process wastewater, leaving them to discharge household sewage directly into adjacent rivers and ponds. Inspections showed ponds covered with duckweed and trash, with blackened water emitting strong odors when disturbed. Most households in the village lack proper sewage channels, leading to haphazard discharges. Public records indicate that in 2020, the district invested 65 million yuan to improve pipeline networks in nine administrative villages and extend sewage coverage to fifteen others. Dongshan, listed for 2020–2021, saw a village-level treatment station built with a fiscal budget of 1.91 million yuan, designed to handle sewage from toilets, bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry, along with external pipeline infrastructure. However, villagers stated that during the project's planning phase, no public consultation occurred, and while the station was constructed, the supporting collection network was never completed—leaving sewage unable to reach the facility.
To maintain the appearance of normal operation for inspections, project contractors reportedly used tanker trucks to haul water from the Grand Canal, pouring it into the village's pipelines and manholes to ensure the station had "sewage" to process daily. More frustrating for residents, their water bills now include a sewage treatment charge. According to the district's rural water pricing standard, a fee of 0.35 yuan per ton is levied on household water use. Phone billing records show this charge began in March 2025. A staff member at the Maocun water supply service station admitted, "Even we don't fully understand it—the sewage fee is deducted upstream."