Textile producers in the Chinese province of Shandong, which accounts for around a sixth of the country's manufacturing, are entering 2011 in a state of uncertainly over the immediate future of their water supplies.

Shandong, like much of northern and eastern China, is suffering its worst drought in 60 years. Nearly a quarter of a million people are facing drinking-water shortages and in some population centres reservoirs are so low that local authorities are using fire trucks to bring in supplies.

The crisis compounds a long-recognised, chronic water shortage in the province. Early last year a report by the Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) section of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) estimated a systemic shortfall of around 3.4 billion cubic metres a year and said that in 2010 this would rise to around 6 billion cubic metres.

"Although water demand already exceeds available resources, it is still increasing along with the economic growth in the province,' said the report. 'Not only excessive extraction of groundwater, but also water pollution caused by intensive utilization and insufficient discharge management in urban and industrialized areas contribute to reducing the available resources. As observed in the whole of the Shandong province, surface water pollution is very serious.'

Major textile producing centres in Shandong include Qingdao City, as well as Gaoqing, Zouping, Changyi City, Wendeng City, Haiyang City, Jimo City, Zhucheng City and Wangtai

The drought has also had a devastating effect on the region's agriculture.

source:CTEI