Shanghai was recently named as one of China's top 10 water-conserving cities by the central government, thanks to its efforts to reduce water consumption.

Shanghai, in the Yangtze River delta and near Lake Taihu, is rich in water resources, but a few years ago it was listed as a city short of water.

This prompted the city government to try hard to curb water wastage by residents and industries.

Three years ago, the city government increased the price for drinking water from 0.68 yuan to 1.03 yuan (US$1 is about 8.3 Chinese yuan), and raised water prices for sauna and swimming facilities by 456 percent and 122 percent respectively.

The authorities have been upgrading the local water supply network and reforming the water-supply system. A series of local laws and regulations have been issued to meet city needs.

(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2002)