U.S. Water News Online
BEIJING -- A drought-stricken northern Chinese province charged with backing up Beijing's water supply for the Olympics wants the legislature to pressure a neighboring province to stop diverting its already scarce water resources, a news report said.
Government officials from Hebei presented a motion to the National People's Congress complaining that Shanxi had built more than 100 reservoirs on the Zhanghe River, which flows between the two provinces, and that plans for another would further limit water supplies, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
Hebei has been gripped by a drought for months and its residents are expecting more pressure on water resources for a year starting April, when it is expected to provide 79 billion gallons of water to Beijing to ease supply concerns during the Olympics in August.
Shanxi has exploited more than 80 percent of the Zhanghe's water, Xinhua said, citing the motion.
The legislature has no real power, but it can discuss motions presented by provincial delegations and suggest solutions to relevant local Communist Party officials.
Shanxi officials were not immediately available for comment.
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