170
W. Cai et al.
China still faces an uphill battle of tackling water pollution with prevailing
eutrophication, excessive organic pollutants, salinization, etc. in water bodies such
as rivers, lakes, reservoirs and underground water. In 2018, water quality of 18.4%
of rivers, 75% of lakes and 12.7% of reservoirs were Grade IV or below, which
can’t be used directly in socioeconomic activities without treatment. The treatment
of polluted water bodies requires tremendous investment and strenuous efforts over
a long period.
China’s basic management of water resources remains fragile. Despite the striking
progress made in the water management system through continuous adjustment,
problems due to the previous obsession with economic growth still exist, such as
lack of control of both quantity and intensity of water consumption and challenge in
capping total pollution in water functional zones. The water management system calls
for continuous improvement with growing demand from the economy and society
for green development.
5.2 Current Water Demand and Its Trend in China
5.2.1 Current Water Demand in China
Water is one of the essential material resources for the survival of human beings, with
a direct bearing on social life and economic development. The reform and opening
up has ushered China into a fast track of socioeconomic progress as China’s GDP
in 2018 exceeded 90 trillion RMB, up from 454.5 billion RMB in 1980. During
this period, water demand in China jumped from 443.6 to 601.6 billion m
3 . While
growth in agricultural water consumption moderated, industrial and domestic water
demand soared. From 1980 to 2018, the proportion of agricultural, industrial and
domestic water use in total water consumption has undergone a shift from 83.4%,
10.3% and 6.3% to 61.4%, 21.0% and 14.3% respectively in 2018 (3.3% of the water
consumption in 2018 came from eco-environment water replenishment by human
intervention).
The surge in water demand driven by the phenomenal socioeconomic development
in China has made water resources an increasingly prominent issue, and the probe into
the correlation between economic growth and water demand is gradually becoming
a key topic for academic research. Studies have shown that economic development,
industrial structure and national income have dramatic impact on water demand (Lei
et al. 2017). To illustrate China’s current socioeconomic development and the effect
of economic growth on water consumption, four economic indicators (GDP, output
of the primary industry, output of the secondary industry, GNP) and four water
consumption indicators (total water consumption, agriculture water consumption,
industry water consumption and domestic water consumption) were chosen for this
study. Figures 5.5 and 5.8 reveal China’s economic development over 15 years (2004–
W. Cai et al.
China still faces an uphill battle of tackling water pollution with prevailing
eutrophication, excessive organic pollutants, salinization, etc. in water bodies such
as rivers, lakes, reservoirs and underground water. In 2018, water quality of 18.4%
of rivers, 75% of lakes and 12.7% of reservoirs were Grade IV or below, which
can’t be used directly in socioeconomic activities without treatment. The treatment
of polluted water bodies requires tremendous investment and strenuous efforts over
a long period.
China’s basic management of water resources remains fragile. Despite the striking
progress made in the water management system through continuous adjustment,
problems due to the previous obsession with economic growth still exist, such as
lack of control of both quantity and intensity of water consumption and challenge in
capping total pollution in water functional zones. The water management system calls
for continuous improvement with growing demand from the economy and society
for green development.
5.2 Current Water Demand and Its Trend in China
5.2.1 Current Water Demand in China
Water is one of the essential material resources for the survival of human beings, with
a direct bearing on social life and economic development. The reform and opening
up has ushered China into a fast track of socioeconomic progress as China’s GDP
in 2018 exceeded 90 trillion RMB, up from 454.5 billion RMB in 1980. During
this period, water demand in China jumped from 443.6 to 601.6 billion m
3 . While
growth in agricultural water consumption moderated, industrial and domestic water
demand soared. From 1980 to 2018, the proportion of agricultural, industrial and
domestic water use in total water consumption has undergone a shift from 83.4%,
10.3% and 6.3% to 61.4%, 21.0% and 14.3% respectively in 2018 (3.3% of the water
consumption in 2018 came from eco-environment water replenishment by human
intervention).
The surge in water demand driven by the phenomenal socioeconomic development
in China has made water resources an increasingly prominent issue, and the probe into
the correlation between economic growth and water demand is gradually becoming
a key topic for academic research. Studies have shown that economic development,
industrial structure and national income have dramatic impact on water demand (Lei
et al. 2017). To illustrate China’s current socioeconomic development and the effect
of economic growth on water consumption, four economic indicators (GDP, output
of the primary industry, output of the secondary industry, GNP) and four water
consumption indicators (total water consumption, agriculture water consumption,
industry water consumption and domestic water consumption) were chosen for this
study. Figures 5.5 and 5.8 reveal China’s economic development over 15 years (2004–