Vice mayor says Beijing ensures sufficient water for Olympics

Source: Xinhua | 03-08-2008 07:49

Special Report:   2008 Beijing Olympic Games
Special Report:   2008 NPC & CPPCC sessions

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Beijing's vice mayor Ji Lin said on Friday the Olympic host city has stepped up with water recycling to ensure sufficient supplies during the Games.

"We're already using recycled water in sanitation," he said on the sideline of the First Session of the 11th National People's Congress.

The Olympic Games, opening on Aug. 8, will definitely drive up Beijing's demand for water, he said. "We'll divert more tap water from the Miyun Reservoir to meet the growing demand."

Yangtze River water is also expected to be piped into Beijing between April and June, thanks to the ambitious south-to-north water diversion project, said Ji.

Beijing also relies on water from neighboring provinces including Hebei and Shanxi, he said. "It's not just for the Games. It's a normal practice."

He said the city government compensates the farmers in these provinces for the water diversion, some of whom are now forced to plant dry rice instead of paddy rice.

China has designated four reservoirs in Hebei Province as Beijing's backup water sources.

The four reservoirs are expected to provide 400 million cubic meters of water a year to safeguard Beijing's supplies, more than 10 percent of Beijing's 2006 consumption of 3.43 billion cubic meters.

"Generally speaking, Beijing can ensure sufficient water supply, in a pretty hard way, though," said the vice mayor.

He said the thirsty city, with a population of 17 million, needs to raise public awareness of water saving, and curb pollution of its reservoirs, lakes and rivers.

 

Editor:Zhang Pengfei