News Analysis: How China Fares with Possible Water Crisis

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, June 06, 2002

News Analysis: How China Fares with Possible Water Crisis

China is striving to implement varied measures to make efficient use of water and to build major water control projects to deal with a possible water shortage crisis.

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China is striving to implement varied measures to make efficient use of water and to build major water control projects to deal with a possible water shortage crisis.

Chinese experts predict that by the year 2030, in the country with a population of 1.6 billion, the per-capita water reserve will approach 1,700 cu m, the internationally recognized benchmark for water shortage.

Statistical data show that apart from ecological water consumption, the actual utmost volume of water resources China can utilize is estimated at an range of between 800 billion cu m and 950 billion cu m.

Li Rui, head of the Water and Soil Conservancy Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), said that the most serious problem now existing in China is low efficiency of water supply with wastage a common problem.

According to Li, China's water consumption is equal to that in the United States but the former's gross domestic product (GDP) is just one eighth of the latter's.

China recycles only half as much industrial water as developed countries do, and its rate of piped water wastage or loss during delivery exceeds 20 percent in the country's cities.

Li suggested that China work out a strategy to build a society conscious of the urgency of water conservation, improve the way water is used and make water consumption more efficient.

Major water diversion projects which divert water from the Yangtze River to water-deficient north China should ease the water crisis in the country's northern areas, added Li.

Dr. Feng Hao, a colleague of Li Rui, expressed his belief that for society to use water efficiently three things are essential: science and technology, water conservation awareness in relevant areas and water conservation policies.

The use of water in the field of agriculture poses a major issue China will have to tackle in its drive to combat water crisis, Dr. Feng noted.

Moreover, statistics show that water for agricultural use accounts for around 70 percent of the country's total water consumption. Along with China's scientific progress, increased investment and improved administrative skills, the country is now fully capable of satisfying food security demands for the future 1. 6 billion people by maintaining zero increase in the amount of water for farm use.

"But progress in farmland irrigation technology is essential," said Feng, who gave the example of water-deficient Israel to back up his views.

According to Dr. Feng, the per-capita volume of water resources in Israel is about 200 cu m, which is less than that in north China. However, the Israelis' wide use of drip method of irrigation on farms has made it possible for the maximum use to be made of that country's limited water resources.

In many areas of China, however, a lot of water is wasted during farm irrigation.

At the same time, people in China do not save water or use it efficiently because of a lack of compulsory laws and regulations, resulting in a serious waste of water resources.

"Growing awareness of water rights, selling water as a commodity and drafting water conservation laws and regulations are essential to creating a society aware of the urgency and importance of water conservation," said Feng.

Xu Xueying, a specialist with the Yangtze River Water Conservancy Committee, noted that reasonable water prices is a major way to promote water conservation as is pollution control and rationing the distribution of water in cities.

Xu called for prompt enactment of rules and regulations regarding the administration of water prices.

In north China cities, water prices have been adjusted several times, and fines are given if the daily limit of two cu m for each person is exceeded.

Experts cited the increase in water prices as the most efficient means to save water in cities. Surveys also show that urban residents fully support for water price rises.

Meanwhile, the Chinese government has financed a group of major projects to cope with the imminent water crisis. The projects to divert water from the Yangtze River and its tributaries to arid northern and northwestern China, which have been listed into the country's 10th five-year plan, is the most dramatic of these.

Construction of water diversion projects is expected this year. Upon their completion in 2010 it will be possible for 38 billion cu m to 48 billion cu m of water from the Yangtze and its tributaries to be transferred to northern and northwestern China each year.

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