Nils Blythe, BBC News Online
February 7, 2007

Chongqing: High in the hills above the sprawling city of Chongqing lies a tiny settlement, whose name translates as Dragon Spring village. It was given that name because its water was so clear and plentiful. But, in a bitter twist of fate, its famous springs have now run dry. Like many villages in China, it has fallen victim to the growing needs of a nearby city. In this case, road tunnels have changed the course of underground water flows. … “Among China’s 600 cities, 400 of them have water shortages,” according to Ma Jun, author of a major study of China’s water resources. “There is a growing consensus,” he says, “that water shortages could be the bottleneck to China’s economic and social development.” … Read the full story.