Beijing's Thirsty Dilemma - 15 Million Residents, Water For 14 Million - AFP

[hatrack]

Beijing is facing an escalating water crisis amid relentless population growth, with 2010 seen as a crucial time when China's capital may have to take drastic measures, state media said Wednesday.

There was enough water in Beijing to adequately supply just over 14 million people in 2005, but the city had 15 million permanent residents and four million migrant workers at the end of last year, Xinhua news agency said.

The situation, complicated by a drought that has gripped northern China for years, will steadily worsen by 2010, when another three million people are expected to have joined the city's permanent population, it said.

To deal with the problem, the city may have to slash water consumption to levels "that would result in water rationing and higher prices that would affect the quality of the average resident's life," Xinhua said, citing a study in the China Economic Weekly.

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/2006/061212094225.9swkqelb.html

[HereSince1628]

1. Yeah, and here come the Olympics...makes you want to invest in bottled water

I can't remember if it was Desanti but the tour guide in Bejing handed out bottled water to western tourists like it is... water! There has got to be a play there for the Olympics, somehow.

[SlipperySlope]

2. Problem will solve itself

Givens:
1: Beijing has enough water for 14M people.
2: Beijing has 15M people.

Therefore, there are three possible outcomes:
1: Beijing will get more water.
2: Beijing will get less people.
3: The givens will be proved wrong.

Why is this a problem?