China Goes Green In Ambitious Water Plan

Feb 15 2007 (TODAY)

BEIJING - In an ambitious plan with two outcomes, the Chinese government
plans to reduce water usage and increase national income by 20 per cent by
the end of the decade, Reuters reported yesterday.

The Asian economic giant's per capita water resources are currently well
below global averages and climate change is expected to make the situation
worse.

The plan, which was approved by the water resources and construction
ministries, will aim to boost more efficient use of water in agricultural
irrigation systems.

Two other aims of this plan, according to the National Development and
Reform Commission, is increasing recycling of urban water and reducing
leaks from urban pipe networks. The authorities expect to save about 69
billion cubic metres of water.

The move comes at a time when China is placing more importance on
environmental issues due to the growing costs of pollution and the
people's unhappiness about the resulting problems.

This year alone, residents in the north-western Shaanxi province
experienced drought, which caused a shortage of drinking water and
affected some 300,000 residents.