Water case study: The water problems of the Beijing-Tianjin region

Question 1

Context

Answer 1

Beijing may soon run out of water

Each year gap widens between demand and supply -

wells drying up, groundwater and rivers becoming polluted = ground subsidence worsening

Question 2

Why are there water problems in this region?

Answer 2

1. Physical = Beijing location means it is prone to flood + recent years drought - numerous dry years can occur/ Most precipitation in July and September, sometimes more than half of it in 3 days
2. Human = 16 mil people live in Beijing, 11mil in Tianjin = huge demand for water + increase in rural-urban migration could make things worse. But growth still 2.5% annually.

Question 3

Water supply in the region

Answer 3

1. Beijing draws 60% of water supply from aquifers = overexploited but water quality is acceptable
2. In the 1970s and 80s increased droughts lead to increased demands for irrigation water=lowered water table by 40 m=Beijing subsidised between 0.5m and 1m per year
3. Tianjin relies on groundwater for about 30% of water supply, but salt water incursion makes the water brackish
4. surface waters supply depends on 5 major rivers which enter Hai He River system - upstream withdrawals + contamination of rivers had negative effects on downstream cities
5. Beijing also makes things worse through pollution and abstraction
6. aqueduct been created to divert water from Three Gorges Dam to Beijing/Tianjin region to improve water quality and conserve water

Question 4

Demand for water

Answer 4

1. demand for region around 4.9 billion m3 per year + continues to rise
2. agriculture account 65% - though is levelling due to water-saving tech
3. Industrial output in region increased sixfold in the last 2 years - industries have now become more water-efficient and recycle their waste water + shift from heavy industry to high-tech industry
4. 4. fastest rate of increase is domestic use = consumption increased + average demand of 240 litres per person each day