This Day, That Year

40 years on

Editor’s Note: This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up policy.

Beijing is facing a serious water shortage.

Thanks to various diversion and conservation programs, the city’s water resources rose from 100 cubic meters per capita in 2010 to 150 cu m in 2016.

The South-North Water Diversion Project, one of the world’s biggest water diversion projects, involves drawing from southern rivers to supply populations in the north. Water from the project is pumped to 11 million people in the capital, accounting for about 70 percent of the city’s daily supply.

In addition, the capital has also been building a modern system for efficient absorption of rainwater to ease shortages, and has been renovating streets with permeable materials, constructing storage ponds, filtration pools and bioswales — gullies filled with drought-resistant plants — throughout its parks and communities.

Beijing has released a regulation requiring water-consuming industries to meet usage quotas.

Last year, the city consumed 3.95 billion cubic meters of water. By 2030, authorities have pledged to restrict consumption to less than 4.3 billion cu m.

Starting December, Beijing joined the water resource tax pilot program to strengthen the government’s management of water resources.