Long-Term Performance of Hybrid Green-Gray Infrastructure for CSO Reduction and Water Quality Improvement in a Dense Urban Watershed, Zhenjiang, China

Abstract

Urban combined sewer systems are increasingly challenged by climate-intensified rainfall, combined sewer overflows, and receiving-water degradation. This study presents a retrospective evaluation of a hybrid green-gray retrofit program implemented in the Zhenjiang Sponge City pilot watershed, China, where green stormwater infrastructure, drainage network upgrades, and a centralized deep tunnel system were integrated within a densely developed watershed constrained by limited space, low native-soil permeability, shallow groundwater, and aging infrastructure. System performance was evaluated using long-term operational observations, representative hydraulic and water-quality monitoring, municipal operational records, and supporting engineering analyses at both facility and watershed scales. The results demonstrated sustained hydraulic functionality after 7–10 years of operation, with approximately 90% of the monitored bioretention systems maintaining effective infiltration rates greater than 80 mm h−1. Event-based monitoring indicated substantial reductions in runoff volume and pollutant loads, including TSS, COD, NH3–N, and TP. Following implementation, annual combined sewer overflow occurrence at major outfalls decreased from 318 to 24 events, representing a 92.5% reduction. Supporting engineering analyses indicated that green stormwater infrastructure retrofits alone reduced overflow frequency by approximately 41.8% and overflow volume by approximately 61.1%, while integration with deep tunnels increased reductions to approximately 58.8% and 85.3%, respectively. Official receiving-water monitoring records further indicated that Class III or better water-quality conditions were maintained during approximately 74.7% of the monitored days between 2021 and 2026. These findings provide long-term watershed-scale evidence that hybrid green-gray retrofit strategies can integrate green stormwater infrastructure with centralized overflow regulation to achieve sustained overflow reduction and receiving-water improvement in highly constrained urban watersheds.