An investigation has revealed that certain rural sewage treatment stations in China are running continuously despite having little to no sewage to process. Reports from villagers in several areas have prompted a closer look at wastewater management projects, with some facilities causing new problems for residents rather than providing the intended relief.

In Yezhuang Village, located in Tongshan District of Xuzhou City, a community of just over 30 households generates a minimal amount of daily sewage. On-site checks of multiple sewage wells found water levels to be exceptionally low and largely stagnant, with some well openings even littered with floating waste. The outlet, positioned around one hundred meters from the treatment station, showed only a very weak discharge flow.

Maintenance personnel at the local treatment station confirmed that due to the small permanent population and low sewage output, the piping network struggles to collect sufficient wastewater. To safeguard the equipment and uphold its operational status, the facility has reportedly relied on recycling its own stored water repeatedly. This practice has continued for several years, necessitating a constant search for water supplies while the machinery essentially runs idle, processing no genuine sewage.

The financial waste is significant. Calculations from workers indicate that typical operation consumes roughly five kilowatt-hours of electricity daily. In contrast, the idle running mode uses about ten kilowatt-hours each day, leading to an annual energy loss exceeding 3,600 kilowatt-hours solely for this one facility.

Extending the investigation to neighboring localities—including Luzhuang Village, Wafang Village, and Shangzhoulou Village in the same district—revealed a recurring pattern. In each case, treatment station equipment remained powered on without interruption, yet the systems faced similarly low levels of wastewater input from pipelines and minimal water discharge at the terminal ends. Throughout these sites, the stations continued operating without actual sewage to treat.