China pledges $75.8 bn for water infrastructure and targets $5 trn urban renewal

China's Ministry of Water Resources announced an investment of 515.1 billion yuan (about $75.8 billion) in water‑conservation infrastructure for the first half of 2026. The spending supports 25 new large‑scale projects and created roughly 1.34 million jobs.

An industry analysis published by Heyi Water Vision estimates that more than RMB 5 trillion ($≈690 billion) could be mobilised for urban water investment between 2026 and 2030. The focus will shift from building new networks to renewing existing ones, targeting pipe replacement, wastewater upgrades, ecological restoration and smart‑water systems. The plan aims to cut average urban network losses from about 15% to below 10% by renewing roughly 175,000 km of ageing water mains and upgrading drainage and sewer assets.