The per capita water consumption in Beijing dropped by 14.6
percent to 15.8 tons in the first seven months of this year, the
Beijing Municipal Statistics Bureau said Tuesday.
The figures were based on spot checks of about 2,000 urban
households.
The bureau attributed the drop of water consumption to
heightened awareness of the importance of water saving.
"More and more citizens have realized that water is a kind of
resources that can not be regenerated," the bureau said, adding
that water shortage is a serious challenge to the Chinese
capital.
The Beijing municipal government has, in response to the central
government's call, appealed for building a resources-saving
society.
The State Council, or China's cabinet, last month issued a
notice on building a resources-efficient society, urging local
governments at all levels to take strict resources-saving
measures.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said the policy will greatly
influence the destiny of the nation, including the country's
economic and social development.
Activities like saving water and electricity and opposing luxury
and waste mark a return to Chinese tradition, which advocates hard
working and thrift. This is important to China, a populous
developing country with insufficient resources.
(Xinhua News Agency August 31, 2005)