Beijing to intensify water conservation

The capital will come up with the strictest water conservation method in the country in terms of amount and efficiency control, according to Beijing Water Authority.

Industries exceeding the water quota assigned by the authority, especially high water usage ones including high-end bath centers and golf courses, will have to pay extra for the water consumption, the authority said.

"This is a method to better regulate the total amount and efficiency of water use especially for the major water consumption industries in the city," said Ning Manjiang, a researcher from the authority.

Wireless devices will also be installed in industries with high consumption of water to monitor and report real time water use.

According to Fu Tao, director of Tsinghua University's Water Policy Research Center, golf courses consume too much water compared to regular lawns.

"To keep the grass on the golf courses green, they have to apply a lot of pesticides on it, which will harm the soil and other organisms as well," he said.

Households that have consumed water below the quota will be awarded, according to the authority. However, the amount of the award and time for implementation is yet to be decided..

According to an investigative report by International Finance News published last August, there are more than 132 golf courses and clubs in the capital city. The largest one based in Tongzhou district covers an area of 443 hectares. Another investigation by China Central Television in 2011 shows that some 60 golf courses in the city use the same amount of water enough for one million people.