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East China's Economic Giant Protects Groundwater
Exploitation of groundwater will be banned in three cities -- Suzhou, Wuxi and Changzhou in east China's Jiangsu Province, according to a recent code issued by the standing committee of the provincial people's congress.
This is the first time China has made effort to protect its groundwater resources by law, a local official source said.
According to the code, the exploitation of groundwater in the three cities, all with rapid economic growth, will be limited gradually in the coming three years, and by the end of 2005, no groundwater will be allowed to be used.
By 2005, the use of groundwater will be completely substituted by surface water resources, according to the code.
"Violating enterprises would be fined and ordered to stop production," it said.
Local officials said that the excessive exploitation of groundwater has resulted from soaring water demand as the economy has grown rapidly in recent years.
Scientific figures show that the ground-level in the three cities is sinking at an average rate of six to ten centimeters each year. In some areas in Suzhou, the figure is as high as 160 centimeters, damaging the local buildings, infrastructure, rivers and dykes.
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