China will make an overall plan to start construction of sponge cities in 2016, according to Chen Zhenggao, minister of housing and urban-rural development, at a meeting on Monday.
Chen said that China will quicken the pace to build comprehensive underground pipelines in 2016 and make progress in treating urban black and foul water pollution. China has set a timetable for the building of sponge cities by 2030, according to an earlier report by Economic Information Daily.
As much as 70 percent rainfalls would be absorbed or utilized locally, according to a guidance issued earlier 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 meet the standard by 2030.
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