Overview
Qinghai wastewater treatment plant serves 87,000 people in Delingha, Qinghai Province, China. It operates under China's national wastewater standards for urban agglomerations.
The Qinghai wastewater treatment plant is located in Delingha (also known as 德令哈市 གཏེར་ལེན་ཁ་གྲོང་ཁྱེར།), a city in the Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai Province, China. The facility serves a population of approximately 87,000, placing it in the medium-to-large agglomeration category under Chinese wastewater regulations. As a municipal plant in China, it is subject to the Discharge Standard of Pollutants for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (GB 18918-2002), which sets effluent limits based on the receiving water's environmental sensitivity. For plants serving over 50,000 people, Class 1-A or 1-B standards typically apply, requiring biological treatment with nutrient removal. The plant's operational details are consistent with national norms for inland facilities. The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which ultimately drains into the Qinghai Lake basin, the largest saline lake in China. Qinghai Lake is an ecologically significant water body that supports migratory birds and endemic species. The plant plays a key role in protecting this sensitive inland ecosystem from nutrient pollution and urban wastewater impacts.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Qinghai Lake watershed, a closed basin in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Qinghai Lake is a critical habitat for migratory waterfowl, including the bar-headed goose, and supports unique aquatic life adapted to its saline conditions. Protecting water quality in this basin is essential for maintaining the ecological balance of the region's high-altitude desert environment.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Delingha (德令哈市), Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, China, along Binhe East Road in the Hedong subdistrict.
The plant serves approximately 87,000 people, classifying it as a medium-to-large urban agglomeration under Chinese wastewater regulations.
The treated effluent is discharged into the local watershed, which drains into the Qinghai Lake basin, a closed inland basin on the Tibetan Plateau.
The plant operates under China's Discharge Standard of Pollutants for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (GB 18918-2002), which mandates biological treatment and nutrient removal for plants of this scale.
Qinghai Lake is the largest saline lake in China and a vital habitat for migratory birds and endemic species. Protecting water quality in this basin is critical for preserving the region's high-altitude ecosystem.
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