The water shortage in the north could have drastic affects because almost half of China's population lives on only 15 percent of its water. The situation is not sustainable. Though the south has abundant water, there is a lack of clean water due to serious water pollution.
According to the 2018 “China's Water Resource Bulletin” (Ministry of Water Resources 2018) (3), only 81.6% of the rivers, 25.0% of lakes, 87.3% of reservoirs, and 23.9% of shallow groundwater met the criteria for drinking water supply sources.
Current State of China's Water
As of July 2021, 70% of China's rivers and lakes were not safe for human utilization.
While water quality is improving, drinking tap water still isn't recommended in China due to the presence of pollution and natural contamination of water supplies. Bottled water is readily available in China and is usually very cheap, but for environmental reasons, consider other options to save on plastic waste.
62% of China's water is used in argiculture and 22% in industry and power generation. China's population has more than doubled since 1962. That growth, combined with the country's industrial rise, as well as heavier use of fertilizer and pesticides, has led to widespread water pollution.
While there are a few places that boast extremely clean water, such as Canada, Iceland, Antarctica, or even Upstate New York, the team of scientists determined that the cleanest water in the world was in the Patagonia region of Chile, Puerto Williams.
Switzerland. If you've ever been to Switzerland, it probably won't surprise you that the alpine nation is home to some of the world's cleanest tap water.
Although some variation in the quality of drinking water will occur because of the different sources of water used and different forms of treatment, drinking water that meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (the Guidelines) is considered safe to drink.
Tap water in China is undrinkable, but it is safe to use it for washing and for brushing your teeth. Travelers can drink boiled water or easily find bottled water in convenient stores everywhere. Tap water is not drinkable.
Tap Water in Tokyo is soft water, and the taste is mild
The taste of soft water is mild, so Tap water in Tokyo is good for drinking!
China's water supply has been contaminated by the dumping of toxic human and industrial waste. Pollution-induced algae blooms cause the surface of China's lakes to turn a bright green, but greater problems may lurk beneath the surface; groundwater in 90 percent of China's cities is contaminated.
In the past few decades, China's rapid pace of population growth and agriculture development has led to more nutrients being discharged into the sea — in the form of sewage, animal manure and fertilizers. That excess has caused massive algal blooms since the 1990s, especially at the Yangtze estuary.
More than 80 percent of China's water supply comes from surface water, such as rivers and lakes.
Iraq. Iraq is considered a country with high water stress, a stark contrast to when the Iraqi city of Basra was once called “The Venice of the East”. About 98% of Iraq's surface water comes from the Tigris River and the Euphrates River, both of which originate from Turkey.
Don't Flush
If you didn't know, you do now – you cannot flush toilet paper in China, even in western toilets. This is mostly due to the older sewage systems and piping. There are some more modern areas and hotels where you can, but unless you're sure, it's better to just toss it.
Under Chinese law, it is illegal to bring printed religious material into the country if it exceeds the amount for personal use.
Drinking Laws -- With the exception of some minor local regulations, there are no liquor laws in China. Alcohol can be bought in any convenience store, supermarket, restaurant, bar, hotel, or club, 7 days a week, and may be drunk anywhere you feel like drinking it.
Melbourne Water is proud to have taken out top honours at the Ixom Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia competition. The prestigious prize was awarded to a sample from our Cresswell Water Treatment Plant at the Water Industry Operators Association of Australia's hotly contested competition in Casino, New South Wales.
Tap water is safe to drink in Italy, although most hotels and restaurants will only serve bottled water.
The answer given by most professionals is that the public tap water in Australia is “perfectly safe to drink”.
Australians in more than 400 remote or regional communities lack access to good-quality drinking water, while about eight per cent of Australia's population is not included in reporting on access to clean water, according to researchers at The Australian National University (ANU).
Melbourne has some of the highest-quality drinking water in the world, and our water tastes great from the tap. Here are four reasons why, also known as elements of Melbourne's water supply system.
Melbourne has taken out the top honours as the city with the cleanest and clearest tap water nationwide. Melbourne Water's Cresswell water treatment plant won the Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia competition held in the NSW town of Casino on Saturday.