The problem of water pollution in china is one of the biggest environmental obstacles facing the country. As China continues to fighting to alleviate pollution In its cities, it has another big problem that is hidden in 80% of the water natural wells, used by farms, factories and homes in the country's most populated plains.
The fact that the water in these wells is so contaminated that cannot be used for drinking or bathing has raised concerns among Chinese citizens. The pollution is mainly caused by the industry and agriculture, affecting not only water quality, but also the health of millions of people in the country with the largest population on the planet.
A problem of alarming proportions
After years of focusing primarily on air pollution, new data released by the Chinese government shows the extent of pollution in its water. According to recent studies conducted on the 2.103 wells located in northern and central China, it was discovered that the 80% of groundwater analyzed is highly contaminated, which has created a new alarm in the country about the state of its environment.
In the study, it was found that the 32,9% of the wells analyzed had a water quality classified as grade 4, which means that it is only usable for industrial purposes. Even more alarming is that the 47,3% of the wells showed even worse quality, being classified as grade 5, which implies that they are not even useful for agriculture or industry.
Amongst the contaminants found Manganese, fluoride and various triazoles, components present in products such as fungicides, were found in these wells. The contamination has severely affected the groundwater supply, forcing many cities to dig deeper in search of clean water, a method that threatens to wear down the aquifers deeper and more sustainable.
The impact on public health and the environment
The severe water pollution in China has multiple consequences for the health of its population and the natural environment. According to studies by various environmental organizations, water pollution in the country is comparable to that of the rest of the world. air pollution crisis which has been the biggest environmental problem in cities like Beijing and Shanghai for years.
Professor Dabo Guan from the University of East Anglia explained: “Water is the biggest environmental problem in China. Although people in cities can see air pollution on a daily basis, they do not have the same perception about the environment. water contamination when it is equally serious."
This groundwater contamination does not only affect those who directly depend on wells for daily use. The risk extends through agricultural systems that use contaminated water for irrigation, which can lead to food produced dangerous for human consumption. According to Greenpeace, the excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers is causing much of the agricultural pollution to infiltrate the soil. underground aquifers.
The Northeast and the North: the most affected regions
Northeast China and regions such as Inner Mongolia are the areas most affected by the high dependence on groundwater. In some of these regions, up to 100% of the population is living in the 90% of groundwater is contaminated, according to data from the Chinese government itself and organizations such as Greenpeace.
The shortage of drinking water is so severe that in some cities the population depends almost exclusively on bottled water, since the water flowing from the taps is not suitable for human consumption.
El ground subsidence is another serious consequence of groundwater extraction. Cities such as Beijing, Tianjin and many others in northern China have experienced subsidence as underlying aquifers are being rapidly drained to meet the water demand of the local population. This has created a significant risk of floods, especially in areas near the coast, where the combination of land subsidence and rising sea levels poses a real risk to millions of people.
Plans and actions of the Chinese government
In response to the water crisis, the Chinese government has begun implementing various measures to try to reduce pollution levels and improve the supply of clean water. In 2015, the government launched a Water Action Plan, with the aim that in 2020 the 70% of the water of the largest river basins in the country and the 95% of the water from urban taps is of acceptable quality for human consumption.
The plan also contemplates that by the end of this decade the percentage of groundwater in low quality does not exceed 15% of the total.
Another strategy to combat the growing water shortage and pollution is the water transfer from areas in the south, where the resource is more abundant, to the north, where water availability is much more limited. This project, although ambitious, has generated some concern among experts, who warn about its possible ecological impact in the southern river basins, especially the Yangtze River.
The transfer program is expected to move about 44.800 million cubic meters of water every year, benefiting more than 350 million people, mainly in cities such as Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang. However, the ecological impact of this transfer on the ecosystem of the Yangtze and other river basins in the south is a cause for concern.
In addition, in the long term, the Chinese government is also implementing other measures, such as improving the water treatment plants, increase water storage and distribution capacity in urban areas, and promote the use of water recycling technologies.
Water is a major concern in China, a country facing scarcity, pollution and an unequal distribution of its water resources. Current government efforts focus on reducing pollution levels, ensuring a more equitable supply and improving water quality for the population.