The city has announced a series of environmental projects on waste water and raw garbage treatment to improve the environment, promote sustainable development and most important of all, to ensure the all-round competitiveness of Shanghai.
Authorities said they welcome foreign investors and engineers' participation in these projects, whose foreseeable and solid returns and tremendous business opportunities are undoubtedly appealing to many engineering consulting companies and design institutes from both home and abroad.
This is the message from the ongoing International Engineering Consultancy Forum held here.
Twenty-five of 45 projects presented at the forum were environment-related, involving a combined investment of billions.
Shanghai Water Authority's Vice-Director Gu Jinshan introduced the city's sewage project and urban sludge treatment and disposal plan at the forum yesterday morning. The construction of the sewage system alone will need a projected investment of 18 billion yuan (US$2.17 billion) before 2005.
The authority plans to increase the treatment ratio of urban waste water from the current 44 percent to 90 percent by 2020.
According to Gu, the sewage plan, as well as other plans such as sludge treatment are open to suggestions from experienced engineering consultants, either domestic or foreign.
"We are looking forward to hearing your professional expertise before we make the final decision," he told nearly 100 listeners from various engineering consulting firms.
(China Daily May 22, 2002)
