The Chinese government has shown great concern over the issues
of water supply, water saving and water pollution in urban areas,
saying that it is imperative to ease water shortages in cities.
In a recent circular,
the State Council urged all cities to make comprehensive development
plans, optimize the use of water resources, and ensure water
supply.
The circular said
top priority should be given to saving water and trying to
make Chinese cities water-efficient.
The circular urged
cities to control water pollution through laws and speed up
the reform of the country's water-pricing system to attract
private and foreign investment to water-cleaning projects.
By the 10th Five-year
Plan period (2001-2005), all cities should build up their
own water-cleaning facilities, the circular added.
All cities must
start to levy special government charges for handling waste
water so as to enable water-cleaning facilities to cover the
cost of operations or make minor profits, it said.
By 2005, cities
with a population of 500,000 or more should have 60 percent
of their sewage cleaned, while it should be 70 percent for
municipalities, provincial capitals and tourist cities, the
circular said.
(Xinhua 11/24/2000)
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