China Strives to Tackle Water Shortage, Pollution

China will take a comprehensive approach to solving the pressing problems of water shortage and water pollution so as to ensure the nation's sustainable growth in the future.

A plan for water conservancy development, drafted recently by the State Development Planning Commission (SDPC), shows that China 's water shortage has severely restrained the country's potential for achieving sustainable growth.

Official statistics show that over 100 cities across China suffered water shortages in 2000.

Meanwhile, the country discharges over 60 billion tons of waste water every year, of which 80 percent were not treated.

The SDPC said that in the next five years, China will step up efforts to exploit new water resources, such as utilizing rain and flood water, making artificial rain, recycling waste water and desalinating salty water and sea water. The country has set a goal to add 40 billion tons of water to cities' supplies by 2005.

According to the SDPC, China will make great efforts to spread the use of water-saving techniques and expand the area of water- conserving irrigated land by 6.7 million hectares in five years. And 60 percent of industrial waste water will be recycled by 2005, comparing with 50 percent at present.

The SDPC said that in the next five years, pricing of water will play a major role in water saving in cities. Water prices in cities suffering severe water shortage will rise by a large scale, the SDPC said.

The plan pointed out that 45 percent of sewage water in cities and almost all industrial waste water will be treated by 2005.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200108/14/eng20010814_77304.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), August 14, 2001

Answers

They will give everyone one glass a day and stop steaming rice.

-- John Littmann (johntl@mtn.org), August 16, 2001.