China’s tech hub Shenzhen hit by worst drought since 1963

Reserves fall by more than half in Dongjiang area, the source of 90 per cent of the city’s water supply

While immediate impact is minimal, experts point to the need to identify alternative sources

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Shenzhen (right) and Hong Kong, separated by the Shenzhen river and both dependent on the Dongjiang for water supplies. Photo: Reuters

Published: 8:00am, 11 Dec 2021Updated: 11:08am, 11 Dec 2021

China’s southern tech hub Shenzhen has announced emergency measures to cut water consumption as the city grapples with severe shortages amid the worst drought in four decades.

The shortage is mainly due to a lack of rainfall in the upstream region of the Dongjiang, or East River, a Pearl River tributary that supplies 90 per cent of the water needs of not only Shenzhen but also Hong Kong next door.

There was no immediate impact on water supply for either city, but experts have pointed to the need for longer-term solutions.

A Hong Kong legislative delegation visits the Dongjiang basin in Guangdong province in 2017. Photo: Handout

“The Dongjiang is suffering from the most severe drought since 1963,” a Shenzhen government notice published earlier this week said.

“The water supply outlook for this winter and next spring is not optimistic and it is imperative that the entire city starts saving water.”

The Shenzhen Water Authority expects a shortfall of 1 million cubic metres (264 million gallons) per day until the spring, and hopes to make up half the deficit from emergency reserves and the rest through conservation.

Though residents may not feel it, Shenzhen has always been short of water because it has no large rivers, and its water containment capacity is low, according to Wei Fulei, deputy director of the Silver Lake New Energy Strategy Research Centre, a local think tank.

Phoebe Zhang

Phoebe Zhang is a senior reporter with the South China Morning Post. She has a master's degree in journalism. She likes to write human-interest stories and has written many about people living on the fringes of society. She believes there's no story or person that's too small.

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China’s tech hub Shenzhen hit by worst drought since 1963

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While immediate impact is minimal, experts point to the need to identify alternative sources

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China’s tech hub Shenzhen hit by worst drought since 1963

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Reserves fall by more than half in Dongjiang area, the source of 90 per cent of the city’s water supply

While immediate impact is minimal, experts point to the need to identify alternative sources