China Plans To Cut Water Consumption

China state media say the government plans to cut the nation's water consumption by the end of 2010, to avoid a serious shortage. The Xinhua news agency says China has less water per person than the world average, while its economy uses water less efficiently than most other nations.

China will establish consumption quotas and make local officials responsible for managing water use. Xinhua says the government also plans to test 100 pilot water-saving projects within the next three years and use the best ones throughout China. The news agency says China only recycles 60 to 65 percent of its industrial water, compared with 80 to 85 percent in developed countries.

In 2005, state media reported that pollution made major portions of China's river water and ground water supplies were unsafe.

中国官方媒体说，政府计划在2010年年底前减少全国用水量，防止出现供水严重短缺。新华社报导说，中国的人均供水量少于世界平均水平，而同时，中国经济的用水效率又不如世界大多数国家。

中国将建立用水配额，让地方官员承担管理用水的责任。新华社说，政府还计划在今后3年里试行100个节水项目，并在全国推广最有效的方法。新华社说，中国仅仅回收复用其工业用水的60%到65%，发达国家则回收复用80%到85%。

中国官方媒体2005年报导，污染使得中国大部份河水和地下水不安全。