Lake Erhai is the 7^th largest freshwater lake in China and one famous attraction in the world. However, after decades of agricultural development and tourist visiting, the water quality has significantly deteriorated.

In order to restore the lake, the Dali government with China Water Environment Group and Shanghai Jiaotong University has taken a series of actions by introducing PPP mode and technology innovation since 2013. Fertilizer usage was reduced by changing crops. Inflow river wetland and littoral zones were built for ecological restoration. Sewage network and 6 underground water reclamation plants were constructed to reclaim wastewater. All the plants are covered by landscapes so that the sewage systems have minimum impacts on the environment. In September this year, Lake Erhai project won the 2022 International Water Association (IWA) Project Innovation Award (PIA) in Copenhagen, Denmark.