China reports improving water use efficiency in 2024

An aerial drone photo taken on June 11, 2023 shows the scenery of Wuxia Gorge in central China's Hubei province. [Photo/Xinhua]

China reported continued improvement in its water use efficiency in 2024, according to the water resources bulletin released annually by the Ministry of Water Resources.

Last year, China's water consumption per 10,000 yuan (1,391.5 U.S. dollars) of GDP declined 4.4 percent year on year. And water consumption per 10,000 yuan of industrial added value dropped 5.3 percent, the bulletin shows.

Both precipitation and water resources were significantly above multi-year averages. The country's average annual precipitation was 717.7 millimeters in 2024 -- 11.4 percent higher than the multi-year average. Total water resources stood at 3.11 trillion cubic meters, marking a 12.7 percent increase compared with the multi-year average.

The bulletin also shows that the supply of unconventional water sources continued to rise in 2024, with the structure of water resources being continuously optimized.