Up to two thirds of China’s 661 cities are facing water scarcity, and at least 100 are facing severe drought, according to a report issued by the country’s Ministry of Water Resources. Water shortages are holding back the development of these cities, which are mainly located in the country’s central and west provinces, China News Service said today, citing the report. Water pollution is also increasingly threatening Chinese residents’ quality of life. China produced 71.7 billion tons of sewage last year, and up to 70 percent was dumped into local rivers without being treated. This has polluted up to 90 percent of the country’s water resources, according to the report. The health of the Yellow River, which supplies water to more than 155 million people and 15 percent of China’s farmland, continues to deteriorate as it faces a series of manmade challenges that endanger its entire ecosystem, said a previous report. Sixty percent of the water in the Yellow River is used by citizens and trade and industry activities, compared with the internationally recognized limit of 40 percent. The National Development and Reform Commission released a new regulation on the supervision of water […]