Insight into China's water pollution and sustainable water utilization from an integrated view.

Water pollution and scarcity pose significant challenges to sustainability in China. Grey water footprint (GWF) can assess water pollution degree since it represents the freshwater needed to dilute the pollutants load to meet surrounding water quality standard. We detect the real water pollution and sustainable water use situation in China based on GWF and a proposed composite framework during 2000–2020 when China experienced rapid urbanization and industrialization. The pollutants discharged into water have not overpassed the water environmental capacity in China, yet the water environment load has achieved a high level, 0.80. China's GWF intensity (GWFI) kept decreasing during 2000–2020, indicating increased economic output produced with reduced water pollution. Transformation from coupling to decoupling between economic growth and water pollution has occurred since 2012 driven by a serious of key reforms of environmental protection and ecological civilization construction. The local high-high clusters of water environment load index (WELI) consistently appeared in Jing-Jin-Ji and its surrounding regions with severe water shortage. Technology centers transitioned from the eastern seaboard to the central region, evident in the relocation of local low-low cluster of GWFI; Regions with high pollution levels per unit of GDP were identified in Qinghai and Tibet, highlighted by the presence of high-high clusters of GWFI. Sustainable water use exhibited higher levels in the southeast and lower levels in the northwest, with the regional disparities gradually narrowing over time. Both regional and national Sustainable water use levels showed an increasing trend, promoting Sustainable Development Goal 6 achievement. Our study provides policy recommendations and scientific basis for sustainable water use and management and sustainable development. • A comprehensive insight into China's water pollution and sustainable water use. • China's grey water footprint per GDP kept decreasing during 2000–2020. • The mean water environment load has achieved a high level, 0.80 • Economic growth has decoupled from water pollution since 2012. • Sustainable water use across China improves, promoting SDG 6 achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]