Study on water saving divisions in Jiangsu Province

The level of economic and social development, water resource endowment, water use efficiency and water saving of 13 cities in Jiangsu Province are quite different, the mode and promotion path of water saving differ from each other. Based on the existing indicators, this study team constructed a water saving zoning index system with Jiangsu characteristics in six aspects: water supply, water saving, water use, drainage, water resources and socio-economic conditions. Then, the “principal component analysis + systematic clustering” method was introduced and divided into three water-saving zones: Zone Ⅰ includes Nanjing, Changzhou, Wuxi and Suzhou; Zone Ⅱ includes Huai’an, Yancheng, Yangzhou, Taizhou, Nantong and Zhenjiang; Zone Ⅲ includes Xuzhou, Lianyungang and Suqian. Finally, based on the analysis of current water saving status in each zone, the key emphasis in water saving work was proposed. The water-saving divisions of Jiangsu Province in this study can provide important support for exploring water-saving priority approaches in regions with abundant water.