Abstract: With the acceleration of urbanization and the increase of pollutant discharges in China, the pollution load of water body in many cities have exceeded the natural self-purification capacity of water bodies, resulting in the deterioration of water quality, or even the occurrence of black and odorous water bodies. The urban black and odorous water bodies, as current water environment issue in China, have aroused a strong public concern. The State Council and relevant departments attached great importance to it and had successively issued a series of policies and documents, which put forward clear targets and directions for the comprehensive governance of urban black and odorous water bodies. The background and significance for the treatment of black and odorous water bodies in the urban area of China were introduced and the causes and pollution sources of the black and odorous water bodies analyzed from the aspects of point source, non-point source, endogenous and hydrodynamic conditions, etc. Based on the problem analysis and combined with the goal of “addressing both the symptom and the root cause”, the overall idea and technical route for the treatment of black and odorous water bodies were proposed. The overall consideration of the treatment measures for black and odorous water bodies were provided, including pollution source control, pollution interception, endogenous treatment, quality assurance of living water, ecological restoration, and supervision and management, which played an important reference role in accelerating the governance of nationwide black and odorous water bodies and further achieving the treatment targets.