In 2005, per capita urban water consumption will be controlled within 230 liters each day, and in 2010, rising to 240 liters per day, including public water consumption, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

The "Outline of the National Water-saving Plan" reveals that top priority in the water-saving measures is being given to widespread use of water-efficiency devices, eliminating water leakage in each link of the water supply chain.

The plan is for all newly-construction civil buildings in urban areas to have water-efficiency devices installed, while all old water devices failing to meet the water-saving standards will be updated by 2005. In 2010, the renewal of old water devices, including those in residential buildings, basically will be completed, urban public utilities will all be installed with water-efficiency devices, and the water circulation rate involved in air-conditioner cooling operations will reach 96 percent.

The general goal of building a water-saving society in 2005 is to control total water consumption at around 620 billion cubic meters and in 2010 at around 670 billion cubic meters. In the future, half of the increase of industrial water consumption will be solved through water saving, as will the bulk of the increase in farm irrigation.

The growth in daily water consumption will be controlled within a certain criterion adapting to the economic development and living conditions.

(China.org.cn translated by Zhang Tingting, October 25, 2003)