Water resources of the People's Republic of China

The water resources of China are abundant on average, but are scarce in some regions. About 80% of all water resources are in one river basin, the Yangtze. Water is scarce around Beijing, where groundwater is overexploited. Agriculture is the major water user accounting for 78% of water use. The construction of a major canal from South to North is envisaged to alleviate water scarcity in the North. Seasonal variations of water availability, causing floods and droughts, are a major problem. Industrial pollution affects numerous rivers. Furthermore, natural contamination of groundwater with arsenic and fluoride affects the drinking water supply of about 4% of the population. Water resources management is fragmented among various agencies and levels of government.

Water quality

The quality of groundwater or surface water is a major problem in China, be it because of man-made pollution or natural contamination. China's water quality is so poor because of the high population, which causes more pollution to go into the air, which mixes with the clouds and the rains into the rivers and streams.

Pollution

Waterbodies are polluted through continuous emissions as well as spills during emergencies. Continuous emissions are from industrial and municipal point sources, as well as from nonpoint sources such as pesticides and fertilizers.

According to China's State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) in 2006 60% of the country's rivers suffer from pollution to such an extent that...
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