Evaluation Summary
1. Outline of the ProjectCountry: People's Republic of China
Project Title: Water Environment Restoration Pilot Project in Taihu Lake
Issue/Sector: Environmental Management - Water Pollution
Cooperation Scheme: Technical Cooperation Project
Division in Charge: Group II (Environmental Management), Global Environment Department
Total Cost (at the time of evaluation): approx. 680 million yen
Period of Cooperation(R/D): 15 May 2001 - 14 May 2006
Partner Country’s Implementing Organization(s)State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA); Chinese Academy for Environmental
Planning (CAEP); Jiangsu Environmental Protection Department; Jiangsu Environmental
Science Research Institute; Jiangsu Environmental Monitoring Center; Environmental
Protection Bureau of Wuxi City; Wuxi Environmental Monitoring Station
Supporting Organization(s) in Japan
Ministry of the Environment; Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; and others

1-1 Background to the Project
People's Republic of China has achieved remarkable economic development under its reformand open-door policy. Rapid economic growth, however, is taking its toll in the form ofwater pollution of rivers, lakes, and inner bays. To address this urgent problem, the StateCouncil of China has placed strategic focus on three rivers (Huaihe, Haihe, and Liaohe), threelakes (Taihu, Chaohu, and Dianchihu), two designated control zones (the SOx control zone
and the acid rain control zone), one city (Beijing), and one sea (Bohai Sea) under the so-called
33211 Program. Many lakes in China, including these three lakes, are increasingly sufferingfrom eutrophication, polluting these water bodies as drinking water sources and naturallandscapes.
Taihu Lake, one of the three designated lakes under the 33211 Program, provides a valuable
water source for some 33 million people residing around the lake. It is also a valuable tourist
resource. Located about 200 kilometers southwest of Nanjing, the provincial capital of
Jiangsu, Taihu Lake is visited by a few million people every year. Population growth,urbanization, and economic growth in the region are increasing the flows of untreatedwastewater into the lake, including industrial, agricultural, and livestock wastewater, anddomestic wastewater from communities and hotels. These inflows are aggravating the water
quality of Taihu Lake.

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China has developed the Water Pollution Control Plan for Taihu Lake during the period of
National Ninth Five-Year Plan and the 2010 Long-term Plan. The plan has achieved ameasure of success. Progress has been made in controlling industrial and municipal
wastewater, placing major point-sources of pollution under control. Efforts to control areasources such as decentralized domestic wastewater sources are falling behind.
In Japan, eutrophication is often addressed by advanced domestic wastewater treatment tanks
as a decentralized sewage treatment system, or by the technique to take advantage of theprocess of natural purification with the help of aquatic vegetation. Either technique is notestablished in China.
These circumstances prompted China in 1998 to make a request of Japan for a technicalcooperation project aimed at studying ways to control decentralized domestic wastewater
sources using Taihu Lake as a model site. Japan has advanced knowledge and expertise inthis field.

1-2 Project Overview(1) Overall Goal
To reduce the inflow load of nitrogen and phosphorus into Taihu Lake by applying thetechnologies for restoring the lake water environment that has been developed in the Project(2) Project Purpose
To develop and transfer technologies for the treatment of domestic wastewater from
distributed pollution sources in the basin of Taihu Lake, that are suitable for the natural, social,and economic conditions of the target area; and to make them widely recognized by thepeople in the target area
(3) Outputs
1. Technologies for the practical use of advanced domestic wastewater treatment tanks will be
developed for decentralized domestic wastewater sources.
2. Information for the application of biological wastewater treatment technologies fordecentralized domestic wastewater sources will be compiled and made readily accessible.
3. Experiments on the mechanisms of water bloom occurrence and control will produce
positive outcomes.
4. Practical technologies that have been developed in the Project will be widely recognized by
the people in the target area.
(4) Inputs (until the time of evaluation)
Japanese side:
Long-term Experts: 7 person-assignments
Equipment: approx. 350 million yen in total
Short-term Experts: 37 persons
Local cost: approx. 74.5 million yen in total
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Trainees received: 23 persons
Mid-term Evaluation

Dispatch of Project Consultation Teams: 4 times by the

Chinese side:
A research site and laboratory (with the necessary power capacity); offices for Japaneseexperts; an office for the Project; meeting rooms; counterparts or C/P (11 persons from CAEP,
16 from the Environmental Protection Bureau of Wuxi City, and 12 from the Jiangsu
Environmental Protection Department); interpreters; and others
Local cost: approx. 6.62 yuan in total (or about 92.7 million yen at the exchange rate of 14
yen to the yuan)

2. Joint Evaluation Team
Members of Evaluation Team (Role/responsibility: Name

Position)

Japanese members:
LeaderKiyoshi MASUMOTO Director, Group II, Global Environment Department
Decentralized Advanced Treatment Technology
Tetsuya KUSUDA
Professor,
Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering,
Kyushu University
Local Application and Dissemination/extension
Senro IMAIJICA Senior Advisor
Water Environmental Management Hideho TANAKA
Assistantengineerinenvironmental industry, material-recycling division, Office of recycling-based society,Department of Environment, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Osaka Prefectural
Government
Evaluation Analysis Kotaro MATSUNAWA
Consultants
Department,
Overseas
Merchandise Inspection Co., Ltd
Cooperation Planning Naoki KAKIOKA
Environmental Management Team II, Group II,
Global Environment Department, JICA
Chinese members:
LeaderOuyang Ne Sino-Japan Friendship Center for Environmental Protection
Member Li Dewen Deputy-director, Jiangsu Association of Environmental Protection
Industry (JAEPI)
Member Jiang Hao Process engineer, Wuxi Environmental Monitoring Station
Period of Evaluation:
20 November – 10 December
2005
3. Results of Evaluation
3-1 Achievement Level(1) Activities
The project activities temporarily stagnated with the prevalence of the severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS) in spring 2003. They have been almost back to normal due in large part tothe efforts by the stakeholders.
3(2) Outputs
Output1: Technologies for the practical use of advanced domestic wastewater treatment tanks
will be developed for decentralized domestic wastewater sources.
The Project Team has installed two wastewater treatment tanks each of six types that are mostcommonly used in the demonstration site on the shore of Taihu Lake for comparison.
Under the guidance of the Japanese experts, the counterparts at the Jiangsu Environmental
Science Research Institute are compiling guidelines each on the structure and maintenance ofadvanced domestic wastewater treatment tanks. Both set of guidelines are due to becompleted by April 2006. Toward localization, the Project Team has made and tested a few
prototypes of advanced domestic wastewater treatment tanks that are more suitable for China
in terms of ease of maintenance and economic efficiency.
On June 24, 2005, Japan and China signed a memorandum of consultation on performance
evaluation testing equipment for advanced domestic wastewater treatment tanks. In
accordance with this memorandum, Japan is making arrangements to procure such equipment,
while China is constructing a building (laboratory) to accommodate the testing equipment.

Output 2: Information for the application of biological wastewater treatment technologies fordecentralized domestic wastewater sources will be compiled and made readily accessible.
The counterparts at CAEP took advantage of what they learned in training in Japan in a
number of activities, including gathering basic research materials on biological wastewater
treatment technologies, compiling it into video CDs (VCDs) in Chinese, inventorying
vegetation-assisted wastewater treatment technologies, and preparing technical materials onthese related technologies. These kinds of information were presented in a joint symposiumin September 2005 for information sharing.

Output 3: Experiments on the mechanisms of water bloom occurrence and control willproduce positive outcomes.
The Project Team conducted microcosm experiments using an eutrophication simulator. Two
counterparts wrote a paper each based on the findings of this testing.

Output 4: Practical technologies that have been developed in the Project will be widely
recognized by the people in the target area.
The Project Team has tried to raise the awareness of the academics and the public at large
about the need for eutrophication control technologies.
The counterparts at the Jiangsu Environmental Protection Department and others have playeda central role in disseminating practical technologies that have been developed and proved
effective in this Project. Specifically, they organized a regional seminar (once a year from
2001), produced and distributed a VCD-based educational material for the public, and issued
4and distributed newsletters that introduced project activities. They have also put up the
project summary on their website.
The model plan was completed in early November 2005 under the guidance of a short-term
expert from JICA, after its outline was prepared by some counterparts while they were in
Japan for training in August of the same year.

3-2 Summary of Evaluation Results(1) Relevance1) Consistency with the development policy of China
The National Tenth Five-Year Plan for 2001-2005 of the Chinese government includes
environmental targets of reducing environmental pollution and mitigating ecologicaldeterioration by 2005 and of improving the environment in focus cities and regions. The
Project is relevant in that the Project Purpose and the Overall Goal are in line with theenvironmental policy of China.
2) Consistency with the Japanese government’s Economic Cooperation Program for China
In accordance with the Japanese government’s Economic Cooperation Program for China,
JICA focuses on (i) cooperation towards resolving environmental and other global issues; (ii)assistance for reform and open-door policy; (iii) promotion of mutual understanding; and (iv)assistance for poverty alleviation. This Project comes under the first focus area/issue. The
Project is relevant in that the Project Purpose and the Overall Goal are in line with one of the
focus areas/issues for JICA’s assistance toward China.
3) Relevance to the needs of the beneficiaries
Population growth, urbanization, and economic growth in the region are increasing the flows
of untreated wastewater into the lake, including industrial, agricultural, and livestock
wastewater, and domestic wastewater from communities and hotels. These inflows areaggravating the water quality of Taihu Lake. Although progress has already been made in
developing intensive sewage treatment plants and treating industrial effluent, efforts to control
decentralized domestic wastewater sources are falling behind. The Project is relevant to local
needs in that it focuses on these area sources of pollution and aims to reduce eutrophication in
Taihu Lake.
4) Relevance of the project design with regard to the interrelationships among the Overall
Goal, the Project Purpose, the Outputs, and the Inputs
The Overall Goal and the Project Purpose are consistent with each other and therefore
relevant. A clearer course of action from the Project Purpose to the Overall Goal would havemade the implementation plan more specific. There is a causal relationship between the
Outputs and the Project Purpose. Nevertheless, the implementation plan was partly
inadequate judging from some factors, including the complex structure for project
implementation, the overoptimistic estimation of the local cost, and the sluggish process ofproviding large-scale equipment.
5(2) Effectiveness
The Project Purpose will likely be achieved by the completion of the Project as long as theongoing efforts are maintained.
In relation to Output 1, the domestic wastewater treatment technology based on advanced
domestic wastewater treatment tanks provides an effective option for reducing the inflow
loads of nitrogen and phosphorus into the lake. The technology contributes greatly to theachievement of the Project Purpose. The performance evaluation testing equipment foradvanced domestic wastewater treatment tanks is helpful in promoting these tanks, throughthe establishment of standards for the analysis and evaluation of the tanks.
With regard to Output 2, the Project Team gathered basic research materials on biologicalwastewater treatment technologies, compiled it into video CDs (VCDs) in Chinese,inventoried vegetation-assisted wastewater treatment technologies, and prepared technicalmaterials on these related technologies. These kinds of information were presented in a joint
symposium for sharing information. These activities contribute to the attainment of the
Project Purpose.
As for Output 3, microcosm experiments are part of basic research for developing treatment
technologies and indirectly contribute to the achievement of the Project Purpose.
Regarding Output 4, an accumulation of activities to disseminate the wastewater treatment
technologies, including organizing symposia, will provide a momentum to the process ofachieving the Project Purpose.

(3) Efficiency
The Project temporarily stagnated in the first half of the project period. In the second half,
however, the Project was efficient. The project activities were carried out almost according toplan due to the ardent effort by the stakeholders.
The cost of equipment as an input was limited to a minimum, making the Project highly
efficient. For example, the cost of the 12 advanced domestic wastewater treatment tanks (thatcame in six types) would have been more than ten times as high in Japan. The equipment
provided by Japan has been largely put to good use and operated sufficiently.
The counterparts have developed their capacity by virtue of technical guidance in China andtraining in Japan and have contributed to the progress in the project process.
On the other hand, the following factors have reduced the efficiency of the Project(i) It took a long time for the stakeholders to decide whether the advanced domestic
wastewater treatment tanks should be installed semi-underground or underground, or in otherwords, whether demonstration effects should come before technical considerations. The work
to install the treatment tanks fell behind schedule due to delays in developing infrastructure
and leveling the ground at the pilot site.
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(ii) The construction of an artificial lagoon using biological wastewater treatment
technologies was cancelled in the face of the opposition by the Chinese side. The activity
concerning vegetated waterways was changed when the plan to construct such a waterway
was abandoned because the Chinese side was conducting technical research on its own.
(iii) Due to budgetary constraints, the Project Team used ordinary steel instead of stainlesssteel to build laboratory tanks for microcosm experiments, causing rust and the elution of iron.
(iv) As for the performance evaluation testing equipment for advanced domestic wastewater
treatment tanks, it took a long time to formulate the research plan and obtain the assurance
that it would be used effectively after being transferred to the Chinese side.
Although the factors (i), (ii), and (iv) pushed up the project cost, they were necessary
processes for appropriate assistance that accommodated the needs of the Chinese side. In thatsense, they were also contributing factors for effective assistance.

(4) Impact
The findings of the experiments for demonstrating advanced domestic wastewater treatment
tanks will be translated into a set of guidelines by April 2006. Experiments are also underway
to localize such tanks for cost reduction. It is hoped that advanced domestic wastewater
treatment tanks suitable for local conditions will be developed, evaluated with theperformance evaluation testing equipment, and manufactured in China in accordance with theguidelines. If appropriate policy arrangements enable the introduction of advanced domestic
wastewater treatment tanks in the basin of Taihu Lake, the inflows of nitrogen andphosphorus will be reduced.
The counterparts weighed and compared different biological wastewater treatment
technologies by taking advantage of training in Japan and other opportunities. The findingsof this comparative study had positive effects on the projects aimed at improving lake water
quality in China under the National 863 Program (the High-Tech Research and Development
Program of China).
Unless properly maintained and promoted, advanced domestic wastewater treatment tanks
might have negative effects, including the failure to improve the quality of treated water.

(5) Sustainability1) At the technical level
A set of guidelines on advanced domestic wastewater treatment tanks will be compiled by thecompletion of the Project in May 2006, drawing on the findings of the demonstrating
experiments for them. It can be hoped that the guidelines will have positive effects, including
the formulation of new environmental policies, the establishment of structural standards and amaintenance system, and the joint development of advanced treatment tanks between the
project implementing agencies and the treatment tank manufacturers of China. The

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experiments for applying advanced treatment tanks to suit local conditions have laid thegroundwork for localization.
The Project Team gathered basic research materials on biological wastewater treatment
technologies, compiled it into video CDs (VCDs) in Chinese, inventoried vegetation-assisted
wastewater treatment technologies, and prepared technical materials on these related
technologies. It can be hoped that the information and human resources that have beendeveloped through these processes will contribute to future projects for improving lake water
quality in China.
The Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning (CAEP) installed a set of experimental
equipment for microcosm. Although this equipment is huge in scale, two counterparts
acquired the capacity to operate and maintain it through training in Japan and other activities.
Using this equipment, CAEP will continue the research that will elucidate the mechanisms ofwater bloom occurrence and control in basic research projects under the 973 Program (theNational Basic Research Program). The Chinese side plans to improve the experimental
equipment with painting and Teflon coating on its own.

2) At the organizational level
The Project is operated and maintained by two project implementing agencies: the Chinese
Academy for Environmental Planning (CAEP), and the Jiangsu Environmental Protection
Department. It is supervised by the State Environmental Protection Administration. For
further development, the Project needs to involve four relevant organizations: the Jiangsu
Environmental Science Research Institute, the Jiangsu Environmental Monitoring Center, theEnvironmental Protection Bureau of Wuxi City, and the Wuxi Environmental Monitoring
Station. Following the Completion of the Project, the technologies transferred, humanresources developed, and the equipment provided will be used in relevant organizations in
China.
3) At the institutional level
It is important that the guidelines developed through such activities as the experiments fordemonstrating advanced domestic wastewater treatment tanks is put to good use and therelevant technologies is disseminated. To that end, the government policy may need tosupport pilot projects for advanced treatment tanks among other efforts.

3-3 Contributing Factors
A number of factors have supported the project activities. Among these factors are ardent
efforts by a group of Japanese experts in the second half of the project period, four project
consultation studies, requests for improvement from the Japanese side made to the Chineseside during the project of the mid-term evaluation study, and above all, sincere efforts by thetwo sides.

3-4 Inhibiting Factors

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The project implementation structure in China is complex. The organizations to which thecounterparts span are three cities or three levels of government (the central government inBeijing, the Jiangsu provincial government in Nanjing, and the municipal government inWuxi), and three types of functions (the administrative divisions [especially the department ofinternational cooperation], research institutions, and monitoring stations. Seven out of theseorganizations are involved in C/P organizations. Local organizations are independent fromthe central government machinery, except for administrative functions.
Wuxi City where Japanese experts are performing their duties is physically far from Beijing
and Nanjing. Moreover, the counterparts at the central and provincial government levels area
not stationed in the city. It is physically difficult for each other to share information,exchange views, build consensus, and make agreed decisions.
The project activities span four quite different sectors, highlighting the need for cross-sectoral
coordination. Articulation among the different organizations in charge of the different sectors
and functions is weak. This results in a lack of communication and difficulty in consensus
building. In fact, some project activities had to be changed or reduced in scale; others fellbehind schedule.

3-5 Conclusion
In light of the five criteria, the Project is judged to have been largely relevant to the Project
Purpose: to develop and transfer technologies that are designed to treat domestic wastewaterfrom distributed pollution sources in the basin of Taihu Lake and suitable for the natural,social, and economic conditions of the target area; and to make them widely recognized by
the people there.
In their early stages, the project activities fell behind schedule due to two major factors. The
first factor was the complex project implementation structure where the seven implementing
agencies spanned three different levels of government and therefore three cities: Beijing,
Nanjing, and Wuxi. The other was the spread of SARS in spring 2003. In the later stages,
efforts by the Japanese experts and their Chinese counterparts moved the project process
forward, producing many outputs in a short period of time.
It is hoped that the Overall Goal will be attained by (i) further efforts by the Japanese andChinese sides throughout the remainder of the project period; and (ii) continued efforts by the
Chinese side after the project completion to build on the project outputs toward a more
conductive environment supported by government policy, further localization of transferredtechnology, and cost reduction.

3-6 Recommendations(1) Promotion of advanced domestic wastewater treatment tanks
The guidelines on (the structure and maintenance of) advanced domestic wastewater treatment
tanks should be completed as scheduled. This should be followed by further efforts toimprove the completed guidelines based on an accumulation of subsequent demonstrating
experiments.
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Efforts should be made to develop advanced domestic wastewater treatment tanks that are
more affordable and easier to maintain in light of local conditions. Attention should be madeto the need for appropriate sludge disposal, especially since it is used more widely.
Policy arrangements to promote the application of advanced domestic wastewater treatment
tanks should not only include support for cost reduction efforts, but also draw on costeffective analysis after defining the applicable area and the promotion method.
Establishing a maintenance framework is an outstanding issue that needs to be addressed soonin order to make full use of the advanced domestic wastewater treatment tanks in the pilot site
in the future.
It is hoped that after the completion of the Project, the advanced domestic wastewater
treatment tanks will be used for purposes that are consistent with the Project Purpose,including the gathering data and giving demonstrations.

(2) Appropriate use of the performance evaluation testing equipment
Japan and China should strive to ensure that the performance evaluation testing equipment isinstalled, operated on a trial basis, and used for experiments in an effective manner. Given
the existing procurement schedule for buildings and equipment, the project period should be
extended to the end of March 2007 in order to provide additional inputs (including short-term
experts) that are needed to ensure effective operation and maintenance of the testing
equipment. As for R&D of domestic wastewater treatment tanks and performance evaluation
testing methods, JICA may consider additional inputs as necessary, after confirming the
research plan of China, and while monitoring the self-help efforts by the Chinese side,
especially the counterparts who have been trained in Japan. The following requirements
should be met for such additional inputs:(i) Progress will be made as planned in the procurement and shipment by Japan, and customs
clearance, land transportation, and installation of input equipment by China.
(ii) China will smoothly provide raw water and utilities (including electricity and watersupply) as specified by the design specifications.
(iii) China will deliver its commitment to provide their portion of inputs, including domestic
wastewater treatment tanks for experiments and necessary human resources, in accordancewith the memorandum of consultation.

3-7 Lessons Learned(1) Need for an appropriate structure for project implementation
In cases where more than one implementation agency is involved, adequate attention shouldbe paid to the authority, capacity, and interrelationships among them for smooth project
implementation. Strong commitment to maintain appropriate coordination among them is10

essential when they are physically apart from one another. The possibility of dividing or
simplifying the project should be explored as necessary.
It is necessary not only to appoint counterparts but also to create an enabling environment forthem so that they can work to the best of their ability.
(2) Room for improvement in providing equipment for projects
In a technical cooperation project that entails complex equipment, JICA should examine
equipment inputs from different aspects, including their plans, purposes, and operation andmanagement by conducting a preparatory study or by other means. Based on suchexaminations, JICA should keep the equipment inputs to a minimum and provide them in atimely manner. It should meticulously formulate the input plan for the project as a whole. It
may be necessary to divide the project into a few phases if the project will be long in duration.
(3) Need for sharing information on the local cost
Sharing a common understanding of the cost sharing is crucial, especially in the case ofproviding equipment that entails considerable amounts of maintenance costs. To that end,
JICA should gather sufficient information beforehand, and provide full explanation to andseek support from the partner country regarding appropriate local cost sharing.
(4) Need for a clear course of action from R&D to practical application and dissemination
In a project that conducts research and development (R&D) with a view to practicalapplication and dissemination, it is necessary to present a clear course of action to that end
and make it as clear as possible. In the process, it is important to clearly define the roles ofeach of the project implementing agencies, including policy and institutional arrangements
and additional research, and maintain close coordination among them.

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