China has set the time table for the building of sponge cities by 2030, according to a report by Economic Information Daily on Thursday.
As much as 70 percent rainfalls would be absorbed or utilized locally, according to a recent guidance issued by the General Office of the State Council. The central government sets targets in the document to have 20 percent of urban areas meet the requirement by 2020 and 80 percent urban areas to meet the standard by 2030.
Local governments could set their own time table in this regard but local time table shall not fall behind the central government's schedule, said Lu Kehua, vice minister of housing and urban-rural development.
Annual amount of rain water runoff would be controlled in mapping city development plan and a system on discharge of urban rain water would be established, according to the guideline.
China encourages investment, building and operation of sponge city programs by social capital through clarifying right of operating income, governmental purchase, fiscal subsidies and others.
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