In the vibrant autumn season, I had the opportunity to visit Daxun Village in Maguan County, Yunnan Province, located on the border between China and Vietnam. Surrounded by lush mountains and gently flowing streams, the village embodies a picturesque scene where the blue sky complements the colorful cottages, and a light breeze carries the scent of the harvest.
Accompanied by a media team focused on rural wastewater management, I explored how Yunnan is addressing the challenges of rural sewage disposal. Daxun Village, part of the Pojiao Town Committee, comprises 33 households with a population of 148. Nestled in a semi-mountainous area, the village is encircled by farmland and forests.
In the past, Daxun Village dealt with waste and sewage management in a rather passive way, relying on wind to move garbage and evaporation for sewage. To tackle these issues, the village established a self-governing committee and held mobilization and training meetings to encourage local residents to actively participate in constructing wastewater treatment facilities. By the end of 2022, the village had successfully implemented a “collective collection plus individual treatment” model for sewage management, resulting in significant improvements in both sewage discharge and living conditions.
As the village transformed, so did the spirit of the residents. They began beautifying their homes and cultivating succulent plants specific to their environment. Resident Chen Gencui shared her enthusiasm, “Our yard was once overrun with weeds, but now it’s filled with vibrant succulents. Not only is it beautiful, but it also brings in extra income.” Her succulent business has been quite profitable, generating an additional income of around 50,000 to 60,000 yuan annually.
Wang Yinglong, the deputy secretary and mayor of Pojiao Town, highlighted, “Currently, the rural sewage management rate in our town has reached 75%, with 112 villages adopting resource utilization models.” He also mentioned future plans to boost livestock farming, such as raising cattle and pigs, to attract migrant workers back home for jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities.
In another part of Maguan County, the commitment to rural wastewater treatment is also yielding financial benefits for the villagers through ecological improvements. In Longshujiao Village, a scenic blend of colorfully painted buildings amid lush landscapes invites visitors to slow down and savor the serene surroundings.
“Dirty, chaotic, and disordered—that’s how residents once described our village,” shared Tu Kaihua, the secretary of the Community Party in Maan Mountain, Maguan County. With financial support from a collaboration between Shanghai and Yunnan, Longshujiao Village has embraced rural tourism as a path to revitalization. By combining community-built initiatives, project enhancements, and eco-friendly practices, the village has developed facilities such as scenic walkways, cultural squares, and camping sites. Achieving recognition as a 3A-level tourist attraction in 2021, the average income for villagers reached 23,902 yuan in 2023.
To ensure sustainable tourism, the village has adopted an advanced wastewater treatment model involving a combination of preliminary separation and treatment, anaerobic fermentation, surface flow wetland purification, and resource recovery. They have installed 2,160 meters of public sewage pipelines, over 1,500 meters of stormwater pipes, and have constructed 50 inspection wells to separate wastewater effectively. Additionally, with 83 small septic tanks and grease traps, a treatment capacity of 32 cubic meters per day for anaerobic digestion, and a 30 cubic meter artificial wetland system, the village ensures minimal environmental impact. The treated effluent even irrigates over 150 acres of farmland, emphasizing the goal of “not letting a drop of wastewater pollute the reservoir.”
This improved rural environment has laid a strong foundation for tourism development, with many villagers now running small businesses like homestays and barbecue shops. Zhang Jinlian, who previously spent years working construction, is one such representative. “After returning home due to the improved environment, my husband and I focused on starting our own business,” she explained. Since opening her homestay in 2020, it has expanded to five guest rooms and 20 dining tables, generating over 180,000 yuan in 2023.
Yang Qingce, a member of the Wenshan Ecological Environment Bureau, noted that Daxun and Longshujiao Villages are just glimpses of the broader efforts in Wenshan to enhance rural wastewater management. The region’s current sewage treatment rate stands at 68%, with projections set to reach 75% by 2025.
