On September 28, 18.7 million cubic meters of water from two reservoirs in Hebei Province arrived in Beijing after 10 days of travel. This is part of China’s massive South-to-North Water Diversion Project which has been lasting for 5 years. By March 2009, an influx of 0.3 billion cubic meters of water will come from the neighboring province so as to provide a relief for the serious water shortage in the nation’s capital. The 300-cubic-meter per capita water consumption in Beijing is only 1/8 of the country’s average and 1/30 of world average, far below the United Nation’s standard of at least 1000 cubic meter.
Source: Voice of America, September 29, 2008
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2008-09-29-voa34.cfm