Beijing to Conserve Water Through Pricing

Pressed for water resources, China’s capital is looking for alternative ways to aid its water supply. Cheng Jing, the head of Beijing’s water resources bureau, said on Sunday that Beijing would raise its water prices in an attempt to conserve water supplies this year, Reuters reported Monday.

Beijing plans to limit its total water consumption to 3.58 billion cubic meters this year. The arid city –- located in water-stressed Northern China –- is already suffering from water scarcity due to growing industrialization, wasteful irrigation practices and pollution to its underground water supplies.

But Beijing is now under even more pressure to conserve, after a project designed to divert one billion cubic meters of water a year to the capital was delayed. The plan to divert water from the Yangtze River and its tributaries was to be completed in 2010 but has been postponed until 2014 due to environmental considerations.

According to the latest United Nations water report, China lists among the countries with the highest groundwater use in the world. It withdraws between 50 and 200 cubic kilometers annually. Beijing, which is located on a major aquifer, draws heavily on groundwater for its urban water supply.

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Sources: Reuters, UNESCO