It is estimated that China annually dumps three billion tonnes of un- treated water into the ocean via its rivers, a statement that won't likely shock you if you take a look at some of the water flowing under the bridges as you journey across the country.

China's rivers and wetlands face great pressure from draining and reclamation, as well as pollution from untreated industrial and domestic waste. This poor-quality water, coupled with often acute water shortages,is creating significant environmental health hazards. Some reports indicate that half the population is supplied with polluted water.

Drought often hits north and west China while northeast and central China are flooded: waste, silting up of riverbeds, overextraction of water and the general abuse of the environment worsen the situation. The communists' cure-all to China's water problems is the damming of the Yangzi River. For more on this monumental project.