Pollution exacerbates China’s water scarcity and its regional inequality

Ting Ma (), Siao Sun, Guangtao Fu, Jim W. Hall, Yong Ni (), Lihuan He, Jiawei Yi, Na Zhao, Yunyan Du, Tao Pei, Weiming Cheng, Ci Song, Chuanglin Fang and Chenghu Zhou ()
Additional contact information
Ting Ma: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Siao Sun: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Guangtao Fu: University of Exeter
Jim W. Hall: University of Oxford
Yong Ni: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lihuan He: China National Environmental Monitoring Center
Jiawei Yi: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Na Zhao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yunyan Du: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Tao Pei: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Weiming Cheng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Ci Song: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chuanglin Fang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chenghu Zhou: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Inadequate water quality can mean that water is unsuitable for a variety of human uses, thus exacerbating freshwater scarcity. Previous large-scale water scarcity assessments mostly focused on the availability of sufficient freshwater quantity for providing supplies, but neglected the quality constraints on water usability. Here we report a comprehensive nationwide water scarcity assessment in China, which explicitly includes quality requirements for human water uses. We highlight the necessity of incorporating water scarcity assessment at multiple temporal and geographic scales. Our results show that inadequate water quality exacerbates China’s water scarcity, which is unevenly distributed across the country. North China often suffers water scarcity throughout the year, whereas South China, despite sufficient quantities, experiences seasonal water scarcity due to inadequate quality. Over half of the population are affected by water scarcity, pointing to an urgent need for improving freshwater quantity and quality management to cope with water scarcity.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14532-5

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