The scenery of Taibai Lake Wetland Park. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_ccfd1293bad8]

A group of journalists recently visited the Old Canal Wetland at the southern part of Taibai Lake Wetland Park of Jining, Shandong province to learn about how the wetland has been helping purify water.

Located east of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and near several other rivers running through the city, Taibai Lake houses the Old Canal Wetland Water Purification Project, which aims to protect the water resources,manage water levels and improve the water quality. 

Covering approximately 3,823.5 mu (254.9 hectares) of land, the project is a result of Jining's innovations in sewage treatment and helps improve the quality of the water before it reaches Nansi Lake.

Taibai Lake is home to many species of birds. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_ccfd1293bad8]

According to Zhao Sha, the technical director of the Sewage Division, Jining Zhongshan Public Utilities Water Co Ltd, finding innovative ways to treat water going into the Nansi Lake is important because upgrading subpar sewage treatment facilities can be financially challenging.

To address this issue, a "wastewater treatment plant + constructed wetland" mode was introduced, transforming urban land into 44 wetlands that purify water.

"The biofilm of plants can remove most of the organic pollutants at a lower cost," explained Wang Hongchun, the chief engineer of the North Lake Resort Division, Jining Ecology and Environment Bureau.

"Seven wetlands have been built based on the natural wetlands to improve the water quality, purifying nearly 75,000 tonnes of water every day," he added.

Besides water purification, the Taibai Lake Wetland Park is also known for being a scenic area that is home to many species of birds.