ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the evolution of Beijing’s water economy and subsequent policy responses, with particular focus on the reallocations of existing supplies and the reduction of use rates during the 1980s. It describes the methods and results of studies carried out in the mid-1980s by the State Science and Technology Commission of China in cooperation with the Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power and, separately, with the East-West Center. Given the penchant for Soviet-style socialism to generate “shortage economies” in general, it would be unusual if Beijing’s demand for water did not overreach its supply. The potential for water saving was explored, in the case of irrigation with reference to the results of field experiments. Recommendations for overcoming projected shortages included adopting water-saving techniques in agriculture, considering water conditions in industrial siting, and recycling more wastewater. The imperatives of the maturing water economy have led Beijing to move away from a heavy reliance on a supply-oriented approach.
