During 2026–2030, China will build and upgrade 770,000 km of urban underground pipelines: 3.9 million km already in place, 160 billion yuan allocated for 2026
Gas, water, heat, sewage, storm drains, and utility tunnels — the "Six Networks" are becoming the backbone of multi trillion yuan investments. Under the 15th Five Year Plan (2026–2030), China will build and renovate 770,000 kilometers of urban underground pipelines.
As reported by CCTV+, an official announced this at a press conference in Beijing on Monday. The total length of existing urban underground pipelines in the country has reached 3.9 million kilometers, and utility tunnels — 7,700 kilometers, said Chen Shaopeng, director of the building energy efficiency and technology development department at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development.
The 15th Five Year Plan targets include: 200,000 km of gas pipelines, 175,000 km each of drainage and water supply pipes, 100,000 km of sewage networks, and 120,000 km of heating pipelines. Priority is given to replacing outdated and corroded pipes, upgrading old materials, and renovating inefficient heat exchange stations.
The "Six Networks" initiative also includes water supply networks, new type power grids, computing networks, next generation communication networks, and logistics networks. This is part of China's strategy to expand domestic demand and stabilize economic growth.
Funding comes from ultra long special treasury bonds. Guan Peng, director of the Fixed Asset Investment Department at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), stated that a fund of 160 billion yuan (about 23.6 billion US dollars) has been set up for 2026 — 25 billion more than last year — to actively support the construction and renovation of urban underground pipeline networks, including gas, sewage, water supply, and heating.
Alongside physical construction, authorities will strengthen digital monitoring of urban infrastructure, enabling real time surveillance, dynamic risk alerts, and rapid emergency response.
Underground utilities are things we usually do not see. But they determine whether water comes from the tap, whether radiators give heat, and whether the ground beneath our feet is safe. When China speaks of 770,000 kilometers of pipes, it speaks of the invisible skeleton of a city. And if that skeleton becomes smart, robust, and modern, then life above ground becomes calmer and more reliable. Because true care for the future begins where the eye cannot see.
