Monday, October 30, 2006

China desalinating sea water to fight drought

The Chinese government is turning to desalinated sea water to ease its widespread drought.

From Reuters:

Apart from widespread drought, factories have ignored pollution hazards and dumped toxic industrial waste into rivers and lakes in China, home to one-fifth of the world's population but only 7 percent of its water resources.

"China is expected to desalinate 800,000 to 1 million
cubic meters of sea water per day and use 55 billion cubic meters annually by 2010," the State Development and Reform Commission said, detailing China's ninth five-year plan.

Water Resources Minister Wang Shucheng has stated that more than 600 medium to large sized cities in China are suffering from a "serious water shortage".

China is also "investing billions in a project to transfer water from its lush south to the arid north". A project which the Water Resources Minister believes is "unnecessary, unscientific and not feasible".

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