The Vice Minister of Construction told a conference in Beijing
yesterday that China is "facing a water crisis more severe and
urgent than any other country in the world."
Speaking at the 1st International Conference for China Urban
Water Development Strategies, which closed yesterday, Qiu Baoxing
said, "We've got to solve the problem before it is too late."
Qiu said China should draw lessons from developed countries,
which have paid heavy costs in tackling environmental
pollution.
"We must take precautionary measures before the urban water
ecosystem collapses," Qiu said, added that the government aims to
raise cities' wastewater treatment rate from 45.6 to 60 percent in
five years, with major cities reaching 70 percent.
Qian Yi, professor of environmental engineering at Tsinghua
University and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said the
crisis consists of two problems: the shortage of water resources
and water pollution.
Qian said China's present per capita water availability is 2,200
square meters, about a quarter of the world average, and by 2030
this will drop to 1,760.
Of the country's seven major rivers five are seriously polluted,
the worst being the Haihe River near Beijing and Tianjin, 60
percent of its water falls into the lowest water quality
category.
"Short-sightedness in economic development accompanied with
environmental destruction is still widespread in China," Qian
said.
Qian said more than 20 percent of cities' water supply leaked
from pipe networks, an intolerable waste, and that the government
is carrying out reform in the urban water industry by introducing
more market mechanisms.
At the same time, the government will strengthen supervision of
bidding, pricing, and controlling water quality and safety.
"We have established market mechanisms in the water industry and
welcome foreign investment, which will bring us cutting-edge
technologies and management methods," Qiu said.
Qiu also said the Ministry of Construction is working with the
Ministry of Health to work out a new set of standards for drinking
water.
(China Daily November 1, 2005)