Daniel Griffiths
BBC News Online
November 10, 1999

Parts of China are suffering their worst drought in over 50 years. But in the cities, demand for water is increasing as China’s economic boom continues.. … Work has begun on an ambitious construction project to transfer water from the south to the north. But many say it is too late. Ma Jun is an environmentalist and the author of the influential book China’s Water Crisis. He warns that the current levels of water consumption are unsustainable. “The North to South Water Diversion Project is not enough. We says it’s like a cup of water to put out a bonfire – it’s not enough to quench the thirst,” he says. “In the area where Beijing and Tianjin are located there are some cities which in five to seven years will run out of water. We’re talking about a time bomb and one day it will be too late to go back.” Read the full story.