Huangshi’s Water‑network Renovation Project Named Provincial Typical Case in Hubei

The aging water‑supply network and secondary water‑supply renovation project in Huangshi has been selected as a key typical case under Hubei’s municipal infrastructure upgrade programme, delivering replicable local experience for other cities across the province.

Many water pipelines and pump stations in old urban zones of Huangshi have been in service for decades. Corroded pipelines cause frequent hidden underground leaks. High‑rise residential compounds commonly suffer unstable water pressure and unexpected water outages, bringing long‑standing inconvenience to local residents. Adopting a multi‑party funding mechanism with joint support from government, enterprises and residents, Huangshi secured central‑budget special funds. Pipeline renewal and secondary water‑supply upgrades are integrated into urban‑renewal and old‑community reconstruction programmes to avoid repeated road excavation.

During implementation, heavily‑corroded legacy pipelines are replaced with corrosion‑resistant modern piping materials. A large number of secondary water‑supply pump houses have been reconstructed to meet unified standards, alongside household meter‑by‑meter retrofits. Meanwhile, smart water‑system construction moves forward at scale. Smart remote‑reading water meters, pressure and flow IoT sensors are widely deployed. Real‑time operational data of pump stations are connected to the municipal city‑lifeline safety monitoring platform. Online monitoring for water pressure, flow rate and water quality enables automatic early warnings against malfunctions, shifting maintenance from emergency repairs to proactive risk identification.

Trenchless rehabilitation technology and in‑pipe inspection robots are widely applied for pipeline condition assessment. Such “minimally‑invasive” construction cuts large‑scale road‑breaking work, reduces disruption to traffic, shops and communities, and improves overall project efficiency.

According to local plans, Huangshi will keep advancing underground infrastructure upgrades. Systematic renovation will cover 120 old residential compounds, aiming for further water‑loss reduction, enhanced urban water‑supply safety and improved public water‑service quality.