Breaking the Water Dilemma in Arid Regions — 2025 International Conference on Unconventional Water Resources Utilization Kicks Off in Urumqi

August 1, 2025 — The Third International Conference on Unconventional Water Resources Development and Utilization & High-End Academic Symposium on Unconventional Water Development was successfully held in Urumqi. The conference brought together over 200 professionals in the water resources field from research institutes, universities, and water enterprises across the nation to jointly explore pathways for the efficient development and sustainable utilization of unconventional water resources, providing practical solutions to alleviate water scarcity challenges in Xinjiang and arid regions worldwide.

Under the theme "Unconventional Water · New Driving Force · Oasis Future — Global Pathways to Overcoming Water Resource Bottlenecks in Arid Regions," the conference focused on key areas including unconventional water resources development and utilization, membrane technology innovation, policy and mechanism development, and industrial synergy. The program featured keynote presentations, industry development sharing sessions, and technology innovation releases, establishing a high-level platform for academic exchange and technical collaboration. Huang Shaohua, Executive Vice President of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Ecological Environmental Protection Industry Association, attended the conference by invitation.

During the opening ceremony, Zeng Fanfuzi, Chief Designer of Delan Water Technology Co., Ltd. and President of the Xinjiang Unconventional Water Resources Development Industry Innovation Research Institute, and Wang Jiwen, Chairman of the China Membrane Industry Association, delivered opening remarks respectively.

In the keynote speech session, Qin Lu, former Second-level Inspector of the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, analyzed the performance of Xinjiang's industrial economy in 2024, while Zheng Genjiang, Chairman of the China Membrane Industry Association, provided an outlook on the development prospects of China's membrane industry.

During the industrial development and technological innovation report phase, participating experts engaged in in-depth discussions on topics including the ecological utilization of brackish water in Southern Xinjiang, wastewater reclamation in industrial parks, domestic R&D of water treatment membranes, nanofiltration membrane applications, and the optimization of sewage treatment processes. A total of 22 scholars and experts delivered thematic presentations covering industrial wastewater reuse, brackish water desalination, and the application of specialty membrane materials. Liu Dongbin, Technical Director for the Xinjiang Region of China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Green Investment Company, introduced a Urumqi industrial wastewater treatment project. This project is capable of supplying approximately 40,000 tons of industrial reclaimed water per day while simultaneously recovering over 100 tons of sodium chloride and more than 60 tons of sodium sulfate, achieving dual benefits in both water conservation and resource recovery.

As a typical arid region in Northwest China, Xinjiang possesses water resources per unit area that amount to only 16.7% of the national average, with precipitation levels at just one-quarter of the national average. The current unconventional water reuse rate stands at merely 9%, indicating immense potential for development and utilization. Unconventional water sources such as reclaimed water, brackish water, rainwater, and mine water have already become vital supplements in alleviating the region's acute water resource shortages.

Zeng Fanfuzi recommended that Xinjiang should adhere to the water governance policy of "prioritizing water conservation, balancing spatial distribution, implementing systematic governance, and leveraging both government and market forces." He advocated for promoting the reuse of unconventional water within enterprises, across industries, and through inter-regional allocation, while implementing the principle of "higher-quality water for higher-end uses, lower-quality water for lower-end uses, and cascaded recycling." Based on an estimated water consumption rate of 30% during usage, an additional 3 billion cubic meters of annual water supply could support 10 billion cubic meters of industrial water demand. Furthermore, he called for accelerating the development and utilization of brackish water resources, including treating drainage canal water to cultivate alkaline forage and develop high-end animal husbandry, and utilizing concentrated brine for mariculture, thereby achieving both ecological improvement and increased income for farmers and herdsmen.

In his concluding remarks, Zeng Fanfuzi noted that since its inception in 2023, the exchange event on unconventional water development and utilization has yielded remarkable results in technological innovation, resource integration, and demonstration and guidance. This year's conference has further deepened industry collaboration and exchange, injecting strong momentum into the high-quality development of the unconventional water resources sector.

This conference was jointly hosted by Delan Water Technology Co., Ltd., the Water Environment and Water Ecology Branch of the Chinese Society for Urban Studies, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Ecological Environmental Protection Industry Association, the Xinjiang Unconventional Water Resources Development Industry Innovation Research Institute, Xinjiang University, and other organizations.