Experts: Inefficiency aggravates water shortage

Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Inefficient water use is greatly worsening the China's water shortage, an environment advisory body has warned.

from the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) said much water was wasted in agricultural irrigation and the daily use of urban residents.

water use rate of flood irrigation, the main irrigation method of Chinese farmers, was only 45 percent, while the rates of developed countries was above 80 percent.

25 percent of water pipes and facilities in urban areas leaked, resulting in a loss of 400 million cubic meters every year, according to the Ministry of Construction.

also attributed pollution and ecosystem degeneration caused by human use of natural resources to the worsening shortage.

is suffering chronic water shortages, with per capita resources of about 2,200 cubic meters, a quarter of the international average and ranking the 110th among 149 countries.

safety of water supplies for 320 million rural people could not be guaranteed and more than 400 cities suffered inadequate supplies.

severe drought in July and August left at least 18 million people short of drinking water in 15 provinces, municipalities and regions, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

government should raise public awareness of water conservation, adopt new irrigation methods and spread the use of water-efficient facilities, experts said



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