With an annual water consumption of 670 million tons, how should the ceramics industry navigate the path toward water conservation?

my country’s water resources are characterized by uneven spatial and temporal distribution, low per capita availability, and a mismatch with the layout of economic and social development. Consequently, water conservation serves not only as a crucial measure for addressing the three major challenges of water scarcity, water environmental pollution, and water ecological degradation, but also as a systemic undertaking involving a vast array of industries and sectors.

The ceramics industry is a major water consumer within the traditional industrial sector. Based on production volume projections, the industry’s water consumption in my country is expected to range between 420 million and 670 million tons by 2025. How, then, can the industry leverage water conservation as a pivotal strategy to drive high-quality development?

**Promoting the Realization of "Standards to Follow, Strict Adherence to Standards, and Rigorous Enforcement"**

Standards, regulations, and technological innovations regarding water conservation and reuse constitute the vital pillars supporting efforts to conserve and protect water resources.

"Over the past 20 years, simply by upgrading standards for household water fixtures—without requiring any changes in residents' water-use behaviors—Beijing has achieved a daily per capita water saving of 3.8 liters. Notably, new direct-flush toilets save 70% to 80% more water compared to traditional models that adhere to the national standard of 6 liters per flush," Zhao Yong, Director of the Institute of Water Resources at the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, told reporters.

Bai Xue, Deputy Director of the Institute of Resources and Environment Standardization at the China National Institute of Standardization, explained that my country has established a relatively comprehensive system of standards for water conservation and reuse. Currently, there are 300 relevant national standards in place, covering diverse sectors such as industry, agriculture, and urban domestic use. Of these, more than 150 standards fall under the purview of the National Technical Committee on Water Conservation Standardization; additionally, the newly established National Technical Committee on Water Reuse Standardization will focus specifically on formulating standards for the entire lifecycle of water recycling and utilization.

In terms of the framework for water conservation and reuse standards, my country has constructed a comprehensive, closed-loop system encompassing target setting, process control, comprehensive evaluation, recycling and reuse, and market services. Specifically, *target setting* establishes clear control boundaries through the definition of water consumption quotas; *process control* achieves precision management via water balance testing and water system optimization; *comprehensive evaluation* assesses performance based on indicators such as product water efficiency and the designation of "water-saving enterprises"; *recycling and reuse* focuses on the treatment and reclamation of wastewater as well as the development of unconventional water sources; and *market services* drive the industrialization of water conservation through models such as contract-based water saving, testing, and certification. Ranging from fundamental general standards and water quantity equivalence to water quality equivalence and value equivalence, this system establishes a comprehensive, multi-dimensional framework of standardized support, serving to fully facilitate the efficient utilization of water resources and the advancement of a circular economy.

"In recent years, the ceramics industry has progressively established a standards system for water-saving sanitary products—one centered on mandatory water efficiency standards, supplemented by recommended standards, and driven by water efficiency labeling. This system covers mainstream end-use products such as toilets, smart toilets, faucets, and showers, thereby realizing the principle that 'standards exist to be followed, must be followed, and must be strictly enforced,'" explained Fan Ruixin, Secretary-General of the China Ceramic Industry Association.

In the field of sanitary ceramics, for instance, a standards system has been established that categorizes and regulates conventional toilets separately from smart toilets. The standard *Water Efficiency Limits and Grades for Toilets* (GB 25502—2024) officially takes effect on May 1, 2025. It significantly tightens water efficiency metrics, lowering the entry threshold for Grade 3 from 6.4 liters to 5.0 liters, while stipulating that the average water consumption for Grade 1 efficiency must be ≤ 3.5 liters—marking a substantial improvement in water-saving performance compared to the previous version of the standard. Furthermore, the standard *Energy Efficiency and Water Efficiency Limits and Grades for Smart Toilets* (GB 38448—2025) is scheduled for implementation on April 1, 2027. This standard marks the first time that both energy efficiency and water efficiency are subject to dual regulation; it not only controls water consumption for flushing and cleansing functions but also strictly limits standby power consumption and cyclical energy usage. Additionally, it brings simplified (light-smart) toilets under regulatory oversight, thereby filling a significant gap in industry standards.