Despite introducing water from the Luanhe River and other
sources, Tianjin, with an average annual rainfall of 575
millimeters, has only 370 cubic meters of water available per
capita, which is far lower than the alert of 1,000 cubic meters
recognized internationally.
The sustained drought in the Haihe River drainage area since
1997 forced the city to divert water from the Yellow River in 2000,
2002, 2003 and 2004.
The water shortage has taken something of a stranglehold and is
affecting development and the daily life of the city. However, the
shortage has seen various water-saving initiatives adopted in the
area.
The city has released a string of regulations such as the
Water-saving Enterprises Standards and Regulations on Water
Utilization Plan of Construction Projects to prevent enterprises
from misusing water.
In the Tianjin Development Zone, the reuse rate of water
utilized by industry reached 90 percent last year. As a result,
a yield of 10,000 yuan output value only
consumes 6 cubic meters of water, only one twelfth of the national
average level. The Tianjin Alkali Factory reduced waste discharges
by 90 percent by using seawater for cooling purposes. And the
Tianjin Steel Company reuses 97 percent of their industrial
water.
The government is also promoting public awareness of
conservation through the mass media and by starting programs
identifying water-saving stars and blasting the “wasters”.
“Before the project of introducing water from the Luanhe River,
we had to drink bitter and salty water and we know that the water
we use nowadays is hard-earned and are fully aware of the
importance of saving water,” said Liu Jianrong, a resident in
Baodeli community in Hexi District of Tianjin. ?
In Liu’s neighborhood, reinstallation of water-saving facilities
was completed last year. All the 9 and 12 liter flush toilets have
been replaced by those of just 6 liters. And tap faucets sealed
with ceramic have replaced those having secure rubber pads.
“The new facilities are not only convenient but also
water-saving indeed,” said Liu. Once suspicious about the project,
Liu is now convinced that it works. It’s estimated that water
consumption can be cut by as much as 20 percent.
To date, a total of 14 old communities in Tianjin have had
reinstallation completed. And communities constructed after 2001
are all equipped with modern devices.
Apartments in Meijiang Fangshui Garden of the Hexi District are
equipped with three water supply systems – drinking water, recycled
water and ordinary tap water. The monthly consumption of Li
Shaoqin’s household, one of the local residents, includes
approximately three tons of ordinary tap water and five tons of
recycled water. Since the price of recycled water is much lower
than that of the normal supply, Li now spends less on water fees
than before.
Even so, Li continues to rack her brains on how to save more
water. She uses a twin-tub washing machine and a double-button
flushing toilet, saving water after washing vegetables for flushing
and mopping the floor with the water flowing out of the washer. “I
do this not only for saving money but also saving water,” Li said.
Most of her neighbors are practicing the same principles, she
explained.
The saving water is also being followed through on the college
campus. Two years ago Tianjin University of Finance and Economics
introduced systems in public areas to measure the amount of water
being used by students.
The university provides 150 liters of free boiled water every
month and students have to pay for any extra they require. Students
also have to pay for taking showers on a minute rate. It’s
estimated that at least 165 liters of water is being saved each day
in the university’s public bathrooms.
There’s also the “price lever” which encourages residents to
save water. The government has adjusted the price of running water
seven times since 1997. The price of drinking water has increased
from 0.68 yuan per ton to 3.4 yuan. Non-drinking water costs 5.6
yuan per ton while water consumption for special industries costs
20 yuan per ton. The price of recycled water ranges from 1.1 yuan
to 1.8 yuan per ton according to usage.
(China.org.cn by Huang Shan, October 7, 2006)