NE China Province to Adopt Water Quota SystemFacing an intensified water shortage, northeast China's Liaoning Province, known as the country's heavy industrial production base, plans to adopt a quota system on water usage.Water conservation will be highlighted in the design and construction of urban complexes, said Zhao Xinliang, the vice-governor, at a provincial meeting urging industrial producers to draft plans for the use of water. Liaoning's per capita water resource has dropped under the averaged level of 1,000 cu.m, set by the United Nations, to 860 cu. m. Its total water reserves are estimated at 36.3 billion cu.m. Meanwhile, the province's industrial water consumption is nearly 10 folds higher than that of developed countries in terms of every 10,000 yuan worth of commodity. The misuse of water is a common problem in the residential area because of unqualified household water facilities, the official said. The province has a mandate to cut 10 percent of urban water consumption from October this year to May next year. Liaoning suffered from a severe drought this summer. The storage of many reservoirs has dropped to the lowest levels. The watering facilities of urban greenery will be equipped with water-saving devices. Several cities in the province, including Dalian and Huludao, have already introduced the water quota system and have raised the water price. The provincial government said that cities with industrial water recycling rate under 40 percent will not be given water quotas for industrial use. Use of Groundwater Under ControlMeanwhile, the province will control the use of groundwater in a move to prevent the sinking of the ground and sea water erosion.The government has banned construction of wells and other facilities extracting groundwater in certain cities, and has levied more charges on extracting groundwater in urban areas, said vice-governor of the province Zhao Xinliang. |
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