Severe drought in northern and central China (Photo:xinhua.net)

North China has experienced since November, its most severe drought in its history. Evidenced by the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters that has increased the alert level to a maximum level (from Grade 2 to Grade 1 Emergency Response to drought), 2 days ago.

According to the same Office, about 9.6 million hectares of crops have been affected by the drought nationwide, or 2.6 million hectares more than the same period last winter, meaning that the creepy drought the North encounters for few months, is now a severe drought.
10.33 million hectares (43% of the country’s wheat) are affected, including 1/3 heavily affected (1% of winter crops lost). But this should not affect food security in China, according to Mr. Li Guoxian, from the Rural Development Institut. Also, “the drought is expected to reduce wheat production by less than five percent,” said Ma Wenfeng, an analysis with Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultant. Drinking water supply is also affected: 4.29 million people and 2.07 of one million livestock encounter drinking water problems.

Since November, the lack of rainfall in northern and central China causing unprecedented drought. The China Meterological Administration figures this gap between 50% and 80% compared to previous years. At Luoyang (Henan), a 80% drop in rainfall is observed compared to 2007. According to official figures, the lower reservoirs of the Yellow River reach between 3.4 and 14.6 billion cubic meters.
On 5 February, the central government launched a financial assistance of 300 million RMB, in addition to a previous aid of 100 million RMB. President Hu Jintao urged local governments to provide funds to increase the means of protecting crops and irrigation. “It is of vital significance to the overall economy to boost steady growth of grain production and farmers’ income as China is in a key stage to cope with the global financial crisis.”
Example of Anhui who planned to spray all surfaces of cultivation (1.6 million hectares) by 15 February. 300 million yuan had been spent by local authorities for relief materials. In Henan, the government has allocated 555 million yuan and plans to irrigate 4.7 million hectares of crops within 10 days.
Saturday, the government decided to divert a portion of the waters of the Yellow River in Henan and Shandong, and the Yangtze in Jiangsu Province. The cloud seeding to create artificial rain is also expected because the low rainfall this weekend in Shandong are not enough.

In the english newspaper Guardian (2009/02/04), Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs and author of China’s Water Crisis, said that to have more than 100 rainless days was a record in recent decades. But he added: “Water use in the region is not sustainable. We have seen rivers running dry because too much water has been diverted for farming and increasingly for urban and industrial use. We have seen the water table dropping steadily over the last three decades. Obviously this kind of drought adds insult to injury.”

From Le Monde, 2009/02/07: The intensity of the winter drought shows how China is vulnerable to the consequences of global warming: experts and Chinese and foreign environmentalists derive yet the alarm for years about the lack of structural water the country faces. Economic development at any cost, the lack of a more punitive tariff policy for consumers, pollution and inefficiency in agriculture have jeopardized its water safety and already broke the balance in the northern part of the country. Thus, irrigation in China continues to be practiced by flooding, a technique synonymous with waste of resources.

Premier Wen Jiabao inspects the growth of wheat at Yangbei Village (Photo:xinhua.net)

China to divert water from two longest rivers to ease drought – Xinhua.net

China fights worst drought in 50 years: articles, photos and videos – Xinhua.net

Chinese Premier Urges “Top Priority” on Drought Relief – China Radio Inernational

Rain, river diversion plans ease China drought – Reuters

Drought threatens Chinese wheat crop – Guardian

Une sécheresse sans précédent affecte le nord et le centre de la Chine – Le Monde

In China, non-governmental organizations (NGO), also referred to as social organizations, non-profit organizations or the third sector, have been growing fast in the last two decades. (source: World Bank – see below)

The Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) variously refers to NGO as people organizations (minjian zuzhi 民间组织), non-governmental organizations (feizhengfu zuzhi 非政府组织), or social organizations (shehui tuanti 社会组织). According to the NGO Research Center at Tsinghua University, these three terms are actually synonymous. Additionally, the term private non-profit organization (minban fei qiye zuzhi), or minfei, provides an even more expansive definition of an NGO in China. Minfei organizations in China can include some hospitals, educational institutes and retirement homes, for example.
(source:NGOs – U.S.Embassy page)

China Development Brief’s database of over 200 International NGOs operating in China .

Challenges for young people at China’s NGOs

CASIN report – Non-governmental organizations in China, 2005

The World Bank and NGOs in China
The World Bank and NGOs in China (same page as above)

How to Deal With NGOs – Part I, China: Domestic and foreign NGOs in China are under close scrutiny over the past year.

NGOs in China – The third sector in the globalization process and social transformation Qin Hui – Tsinghua University

Philanthropy and the Third Sector Overview – China

List of NGOs in China (a Wikipedia page)

From a general point of view, water price in China is seen as inadequate: it does not represent the true value of the available resources, the cost of water supply and wastewater retreatment. Until 2004, the authorities’ state of mind was that despite the severe shortage, water was too cheap to be used sparcely. Only a raised price could motivate consumers to conserve. Facing a more and more critical management of scare resources and spreading pollutions, the reassessment of the price of a water cubic metre was revised upwards since the 2006 reform of water urban sector (up already established in 2004 in some regions).

Given the recent statements of recurrent water waste, during the 11th 5-years Plan, measures have been taken to give consumers a sens of responsability. The government wants to see water prices rise to 50-100% during this period. The establishment of a metering and volumetric count and high hiked tariffs are designed to induce consumers to limite their water consumption. But, compared to standards of occidental water consumption, the chinese one is not this big at all: in Beijing, the average use of water is evaluated to an average of 104,14 liter per capita per day (l/c/p), whereas America’s one can reach 280 l/c/d, France’one: 125 l/c/d, Spain’s one:180 l/c/d, in Cyprus’s one:175 l/c/d. Regulated prices based on service cost (tapping resources, providing running water, constructing pipes and plants, treating sewage) are envisaged. The 11th Plan also targets the biggest consumers who are industry and agriculture: to decrease of 30% of industrial consumption and to rise the efficiency ratio in irrigation from 45% to 50%. Indeed, since 1993, the national resources are tapped to 70% per year for irrigation use, which represent about 520 km3 of water. Inefficiency due poor ditches and antiquated irrigation facilities has a bad effect on a such large consumption.

Low fees for water supply and sanitation

The chinese water prices system distinguishes different categories of users: agriculture -biggest consumer-, industry, tourism facilities, health facilities (hospitals…), trade, domestic consumers… Although the tariff system uses a metric and linear valuation of consumption, it is the industry and trade that are given the highest fees. The tariff scheme can be summed up in 2 types of fees, since 1985: one for water supply , and one for sanitation. Nowadays, 2 RMB per cubic meter is the average price domestic consumers are charged for water supply. Sanition fees barely reach an average of 0,1RMB per ton. But it is planed that price would reach 0,8 or 1 RMB.

These tariffs are left to the charge of local government. Thus, in urban areas, prices are fixed by the responsible offices. This leads to a large disparity from a region to another, or even from one city to another. Only can be observed, as a quasi-evident, that the highest rates are found in the highly urbanized cities, as Chongqing and Beijing. As the tariffs reform has an impact on people opinion, Government wishes for that collected fees would not be more than 1,8% of an household income, as in Beijing now. Campaigns for saving water are now bearing fruits: people have become aware of the importance of the issue. Some citizens even mail the water resources authorities methods for saving water.

Old water facilities

Decreasing consumption is not the only aim the Government wants to achieve to conserve water resources. The reconstruction, efficiency improvment of networks and plants are two of the flagship measures of the reform. An investment of 358 billion RMB was announced in August 2007, benefiting to the urban centres. Also, several loans from the World Bank and the Asian devlopement Bank will be acquired for. The Government wants to see the rate of drinking water supply reach 98%, and treated wastewater to 70% in urban areas by 2010. Rising standards of the quality of drinking water and sanitation are also being considered.

During the 2008 Asian Water Summit, held in January, the marketisation of the water sector, its development and management were discussed. The reform of the water sector in urban areas requires capital investment to reach its goals by 2010. The technical and technological challenge is huge. Most of the water infrastructures receive significant financial support from local governments. The fees charged consumers are not large enough to cover the costs of infrastructures management. The fee for the collection and disposal of wastewater is now too low for the utilities to ensure the daily operation. The 2006 report of the World Bank for ubran water sector in China suggests an increase to 3 RMB of the rate currently levied (about 0.1 Yuan in 2005). The proposed tax increase would reduce the gap between cost of services and fees properly collected.

To reach these goals, the government is gradually opening and reforming the water market. Is this an opportunity for foreign companies to get a foothold in China or consolidate their position in the area? The new policies marketisation are there to ensure its smooth conduct, encourage and attract foreign and private funds in the construction and infrastructure management. The downside will be increased competition between local firms and their foreign competitors. The government will still retain oversight on the system and franchise operations. The death of BOT and others PPP contracts is in no way envisaged. Given the appetite of Chinese, accelerating the skills and technology transfers are in the mind of Chinese authorities in charge of water management in the country. So the next 5-10 years is the key period of the development of China’s water affair.

Cities Raise Water Price China.org.cn – 2004/12/25

China to charge for urban sewage treatment later this year Worldwatch Institut – 2006/08/26

China to raise water prices to encourage conservation, efficiency Gov.cn – 2006/12/08

China’s water use – FAO database 1999

China water projects to get big investment IHT – 2006/08/22

China’s water industry survey Fdi.gov.cn (Ministry of Commerce) – 2007-05-15

China’s water affair report 2005-2006 Research and Markets

Chinese water management system Wikipedia page

water law text MWR

Improving the performances of China’s urban water utilities World Bank – 2007

Report Chongqing water pricing for poor World Bank 2007

Report Water pricing Beijing World Bank July 2007

• China’s water challenges

  http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZzlwH0IynZ0
  Source : www.erenlai.com
  This video is bad quality. It recalls well-konwn warning figures (“20% of world population but only 7% of the world water resouces”) and consequences of a bad water resources management.

• Water pollution in China

  http://youtube.com/watch?v=ulPowcxwxS8
  Source: www.caijing.com.cn
  This video presents a magazine exposing water pollution and the several crisis that occured the few past years (Taihu Lake, …). Commentaries are in mandarin..

• China’s water Challenge (22 :45)

  Source : Steven Griffiths (writter and producer)
  http://youtube.com/watch?v=1EfKHzPksUc part 1 – English Version
  http://youtube.com/watch?v=l8Gh88VkmfI part2 – EV
  http://youtube.com/watch?v=H06zbFVYs8Q part3 – EV
  This video is a classic document talking about water management and water resources (rivers basin, waterways…) and their issues. Commentaries are in english but the mandarine version is available (OVER english one) at:
  http://youtube.com/watch?v=Xwq0Jl7Zjj0
  http://youtube.com/watch?v=4m6nHLUMo8w
  http://youtube.com/watch?v=tKxwuLVrSiM

• Water crisis, Wuxi, China 无锡水祸

  Source: unknown
  http://youtube.com/watch?v=E9YJXm1kqk4
  This video is a short environmentalist message, warning about the crisis the Taihu lake faced on June this year.

• 民視新聞,家庭廢水的污染

  Source : the broadcast TV (unidentified name)
  http://youtube.com/watch?v=8RAeOZKeNTo
  This broadcast briefly explains where wastewater comes from and its effects on the rivers system in Taiwan.

• Thirsty planet/China’s boom creating water woes (3:41)

  Source : msnbc.com
  http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-us&brand=msnbc&vid=1c68701c-2b92-42c0-9a64-5998e67fdd9c
  A short video about Mekong river and its probably run-dry state, due to the 12 chinese dams project. Bad management of the Mekong river flood has lead to a decrease in the fish populations donwstream.

• Choking on growth – Sending water north (7:48)

  Source: new York times
  http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2007/09/28/world/asia/choking_on_growth_2.html#story3
  This video belongs to the second part from a serie of articles examining China’s pollution crisis. It talks about the south to north water divert project and shortly expose hopes and issues.

An other water event will occur at the end of the month, the Water Expo China. The event is organized by the Chinese Hydraulic Engineering Society (CHES), one of the main corporates of water resources and management in China. This exhibition will gather experts water committees as the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, and governmental bureaus. “The content of this Expo will cover the latest products and technologies in several categories including: City Water Consumption, Daily Water Usage, Sewage Treatment, Anti-flood and Disaster Minimization, Water and Earth Maintenance, and Hydro-Electricity.”

Informations portal for the Water China 2008 Exhibition : http://www.waterchina.merebo.com/
Informations website on the Water Expo China 2007: http://www.jhbh.cn/2007en/default.htm

A model for all of China

The main concern is what kind of city environment athletes will find? What sort of water will be supplied to the public? Those questions are not recent as they had been asked years ago, when Beijing knew it was choosed for organizing the 2008 OG. But this concern emerged since few weeks because of the worry of sportsmen. Some are afraid of the environment conditions in which they are going to compete (polluted air and not potable water), thinking it could have impact on their performances. But China wants to show to the world its credentials and the BOCOG has invested a lot for that: the Olympic Games would be an environmental model for Beijing and China. Making “Green olympics” is one of the 3 goals the BOCOG has set up.

The emblem for the Environment of the 2008 OG in Beijing

New water facilities

In November 2005, the BOCOG and the United Nations Environment Programme signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which aims to ensure that the OG will take place according to environmental account, especially for water quality improvements. The city of Beijing has made great investments for updating and building water and wastewater treatment plants: in the urban aera, 15 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) have been rehabilited or built. 9 of them have been upgraded with a tertiary treatment process recycling water.

(source: Pr. Jiang Zhanpeng/Tsinhua University)

Those upgrades are one of the answers to the water shortage issue in Beijing: the recycled water will be used for non-potable purposes. In addition to those infrastructures, about 4000kms of sewer pipes will be laid. Thus, the sanitation system will improve the wastewater collection that expect to reach 2.5millions tons of wastewater discharge in a day, only for the urban aera of Beijing. In 2006, officially only 52% of wastewater wre collected and treated, but thanks to the municipals WWTP, this rate is expecting to raise to 90% with the treatment of more than 4 millions m3/day. 50% of this water will be reused for irrigation and ensure the water supply of ponds and lagoons in the Olympic village; formally, the rate barely reached 15%.

Official site of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games: http://en.beijing2008.cn/
UNEP site for Olmypic Games Partnership: http://www.unep.org/sport_env/Olympic_Games/index.asp

“The company expects to win two contracts for water plants, and “hopefully” add a sewerage project to its portfolio on the mainland” said Steve Clarck. Those water contracts are likely to come from Jiangsu Province, Beijing or Chongqing, he also mentionned. Their planned bidding for Shanghai’s largest waterworks is at a standstill as the project has been suspended. On July 19, at the Shanghai chemical Industry Park (SCIP) site, Suez inaugurated a hazardous waste treatment facility with an investment of 53 million euros (US$72.98m) in suburban Shanghai . The incineration plant is the largest of its kind in China with an annual capacity of 60,000 tons generated from the local chemical plants of BASF and Bayer. The facility will also sell to them steam, produced from burning the waste.

It is still cautious towards energy projects in China as officials are concerned about energy laws that do not guarantee stable returns, said Clark. Since last year the company has failed in two takeover bids for France-based Veolia Water, one of the world’s largest water suppliers. Veolia has doubled its sale price each time.

Upbeat SUEZ unveils huge Shanghai plant – Shanghai Daily/July 19,07
- http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=323895&type=Business

The shortage of the water reserves in China is now a reality and considered by the government as a break to the economic development. It has to face the shortage and the pollution of the groundwater and seems to consider that a better management must be a part of the plan. So, the 11th five-years guideline was decided to settle some of these questions: “There are great potentials for water saving by increasing water reuse or recycling”, said Mr. Wang Shucheng, Minister of Water Resources. The reforestation of nothern China was programmed partially for protecting soil and groundwater and the old Mao’s idea to divert the water of the south to the north is surfacing again.

For public health, wastewater treatment and drinking water plans should rise soon, since the Water Resources Ministry wants to implement total quantity control of water use and quota management, and initialize a national water rights system. According to the Statistic Bulletin China Water Activities, the number of pumping stations rose of 14% in 2005. To reach the goals, a lot of public/privates contracts are signed by the local administrations of chinese cities, who look for the value of skillfull partnerships with foreign societies, leaders in the water domain.
But the planning is in urge as it has been shown by the Groundwater Bulletin of China Northern Plains: the level of groundwater in the region of Beijing drops at an average of 0.75meter per year. In 40 years, the level of the reserve dropped of 55meters.

Interview (in french) of Jacques Gravereau, President of the Eurasia HEC Institut, talking about China water shortage and its issues – 05/05/07, Radio86.fr: http://www.radio86.fr/system/files/2007-05-05_feature_02_net.mp3