Huai'an is using Tianquan Lake in Xuyi County as a pilot project to explore ways to monetize the value of aquatic ecological products, intending to address challenges such as the difficulty in pricing ecological value and the limited options for monetization. By establishing a three-tier catalog of aquatic ecological products from reservoirs and a value accounting system, the city accurately quantifies the incremental value generated by ecological restoration projects such as dredging and vegetation restoration. According to scientific calculations, the total value of Tianquan Lake's aquatic ecological products is approximately RMB 430 million, with "invisible" ecological elements transformed into exploitable "green assets."

On the basis of accounting, Huai'an has promoted a shift from single-use applications to diversified value-added applications. On the one hand, the city has developed an ecological aquaculture model based on the principle of "fishing to sustain water resources," achieving the mutual promotion of water conservation and income generation; on the other hand, it has integrated sectors such as wellness, tourism, and educational tours to develop distinctive projects including lakeside inns, water sports, and nature-based educational tours, thereby building an "ecology + cultural tourism + educational tours" industrial chain. Today, Tianquan Lake stands as a well-known tourist resort in the Yangtze River Delta, as well as a field trip destination for more than 40 primary and secondary schools. This has spurred robust growth in related industries such as dining, lodging, and tour guiding, with annual revenue exceeding RMB 1 billion.

At the same time, Huai'an has established a long-term mechanism for reinvesting ecological benefits, allocating RMB 91 million in revenue from the sale of aquatic ecological products specifically for ecological conservation and management, facility upgrades, public education, and resident compensation in the Tianquan Lake Basin, thereby creating a virtuous cycle of "protection—value enhancement—revenue generation—further protection." To date, the related industries have created 2,600 stable jobs and helped residents increase their income by RMB 124.8 million.