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China plans to invest 24 billion yuan (US$2.89 billion) in a number
of projects in the next four to five years to solve the water shortage
in Beijing and its surrounding areas.
Officials from the Ministry of Water Resources and Beijing Municipality
said at a press conference Thursday that the State Council has approved
the plan on Beijing's water resources utilization.
The Beijing municipal government will invest 17 billion yuan in
projects for water saving, pollution control and water recycle.
Beijing is one of the most populous regions in China. Its annual
water consumption reached 4 billion cubic meters. With economic
development and continuous drought, Beijing is now facing a severe
water shortage.
Zhang Jiyao, vice-minister of Water Resources, attributed the shortage
to population increase outpacing environment carrying capacity.
Statistics show that Beijing's industrial sector used 1.1 billion
cubic meters of water every year. In the next five years, 136 water-saving
projects will be built in this sector.
Beijing also plans to build 16 sewage treatment plants to ensure
90 percent of sewage be treated in the next three years. Currently,
Beijing produces 1.3 cubic meters of sewage every year, of which,
22 percent is treated.
The water price for residents will also be increased to some six
yuan in 2005 from today's two yuan.
Most of Beijing's urban water come from Guanting and Miyun reservoirs.
Because of severe pollution in Shanxi and Hebei provinces, Guanting
Reservoir lost its function as a drinking water resource in 1997.
Zhang Jiyao noted that funds from the central fisc will be used
in projects in Hebei and Shanxi provinces, which will help the upper
reachs develop water-saving agriculture, build sewage treatment
plants, close severely polluting companies and carry out afforestration.
(21DNN 06/22/2001)
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