China　is　facing　water　crisis.　More　than　400　cities　are　lacking　enough　water　resources　and　more　than　half　rivers　are　polluted.　To　realize　sustainable　development　in　the　21st　century,　we　should　first　provide　enough　water　resources　to　every　person　and　keep　a　friendly,　leisurely　water　environment.　Under　the　idea　of　sustainability,　a　concept　for　a　sustainable　urban　sewerage　system　(SUSS)　is　put　forward　in　this　article.　An　urban　sewerage　system　cannot　only　be　a　basic　facility　for　draining　rainwater　and　wastewater　to　protect　the　urban　environment　and　public　water　bodies,　but　must　also　contribute　to　the　restoration　of　the　water　environment　in　order　to　maintain　a　healthy　social　water　cycle.　A　SUSS　should　be　the　basis　for　urban　water　reuse　and　recycling　as　well　as　the　focus　of　water　resource　regeneration　in　a　watershed　and　the　centre　of　the　recycling　of　nutrients.　SUSS　practices　in　the　Shenzhen　Special　Economic　Zone　and　the　Beijing　region　in　China　are　introduced.　(c)　2006　Elsevier　B.V　All　rights　reserved.