The underground water supplies of almost 90 per cent of Chinese cities have been polluted by rapid economic growth, according to the State Environmental Protection Administration of China. Underground water is the source of drinking water for nearly 70 per cent of the Chinese population, and 40 per cent of the country's irrigation water.
Additionally, about 300 million rural residents (one-third of the rural population) drink unsafe water, according to the administration. Of the rural residents, 63 million are exposed to dangerous levels of fluorine, 2 million to arsenic, 38 million people drink bitter and salty water and 190 million drink water with toxic substances.
Almost 22 million people in over 318 cities have reported water shortages annually in the past five years due to droughts. Pollution has caused direct economic losses of billions of us dollars, each year. The country's water supply faces enormous pressure from economic growth in the next 25 years.
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