Groundwater In 9 Of 10 Chinese Cities Either Polluted Or Overdrawn - Reuters

[hatrack]

BEIJING - Underground water reserves in around 9 out of every 10 Chinese cities are polluted or over-exploited, and could take hundreds of years to recover, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

In costal areas overuse of reservoirs is allowing saline seawater to seep into and contaminate freshwater, while underground pressure changes caused by depleted reserves are also causing massive subsidence nationwide. China has limited water resources, less than one third of the global per capita average and falling. Groundwater is crucial because it provides up to 70 percent of drinking water.

"Groundwater is now contaminated in about 90 percent of the nation's cities," Xinhua quoted Zhang Lijun, deputy director of the State Environmental Protection Administration saying.

Years of promoting economic growth at almost any cost have taken their toll on China's environment, although growing rural discontent caused by dirty water and other pollution has pushed Beijing to promote cleaner growth.

EDIT

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/39294/story.htm

[Deja Q]

1. China, land of 1.5 billion?

Where will they get more water from? By going to planet Neptune and carving out big blocks of ice to cart back to Earth?

Here's an idea: Population control. It does everybody good.

I choose not to assist in expanding Earth's population (in other words, "breed") because 6 billion miracles is plenty. I'm sorry everybody has to feel they have to make their own children.

If anything, I should probably adopt.

[mainegreen]

2. The sad thing is that China actually has pretty good population control.

Given the circumstances, one child policy achieved quite a bit.