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This study analyzed the contributions of output, technological, and structural factors to industrial water use. Using Tianjin, a National Water-Saving City in China, as a case study, we adopted the refined Laspeyres and Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index models to decompose the driving forces of industrial water use changes. The decomposition results of both models show that output and technology have long-term, stable effects on industrial water use in Tianjin. Output stimulates water use, leading to an average annual growth of 7700 × 10 4 m 3 , while technology inhibits water use, with an average annual reduction of 7900 × 10 4 m 3 . However, the effects of structure on industrial water use are not stable. During the study period, the stimulation and inhibition of industrial water use alternated; however, stimulation was dominant after 2008, implying increased partiality of the industrial structure toward high water use. The results of the study contrasted the hypothesis that Tianjin's primary goal in restructuring local industries over the past decade has been the achievement of water use efficiency. Reduced water use may have resulted from Tianjin's development with targets other than water-savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ease the growing water crisis, Tianjin has pioneered the implementation of the most stringent water management system in China. Presently, Tianjin achieves the highest industrial water efficiency in China. In 2010, Tianjin was named the first “Water-Saving Society Construction Demonstration City” by the Chinese central government. To provide a theoretical basis and supporting data for the construction of “national water-saving cities”, a decomposition method is adopted to quantitatively analyze changing industrial water use in Tianjin. Data are decomposed using a refined Laspeyres model, highlighting changes associated with industrial restructuring, followed by detailed sectoral analysis. There are two distinct stages of industrial water use: before 2008, industrial water use decreased, driven predominantly by technological advances; after 2008, higher industrial output led to greater industrial water use that overshadowed the water savings achieved by technological development. Nevertheless, water efficiency showed limited improvement, despite the increasing industrial scale and output of certain industrial sectors. The findings show that in Tianjin, reduced industrial water use is not the primary objective, but an associated combination of industrial development and structural adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]